A rapid method of fruit cell isolation for cell size and shape measurements

Craniofacial anomalies in schizophrenia-relevant GFAP.HMOX10-12m mice

Subtle craniofacial dysmorphology has been reported in schizophrenia patients. This dysmorphology includes midline facial elongation, frontonasal anomalies and a sexually dimorphic deviation from normal directional asymmetry of the face, with male patients showing reduced and female patients showing enhanced facial asymmetry relative to healthy control subjects. GFAP.HMOX10-12m transgenic mice (Mus musculus) that overexpress heme oxygenase-1 in astrocytes recapitulate many schizophrenia-relevant neurochemical, neuropathological and behavioral features. As morphogenesis of the brain, skull and face are highly interrelated, we hypothesized that GFAP.HMOX10-12m mice may exhibit craniofacial anomalies similar to those reported in persons with schizophrenia. We examined craniofacial anatomy in male GFAP.HMOX10-12m mice and wild-type control mice at the early adulthood age of 6-8 months. We used computer vision techniques for the extraction and analysis of mouse head shape parameters from systematically acquired 2D digital images, and confirmed our results with landmark-based geometric morphometrics. We performed skull bone morphometry using digital calipers to take linear distance measurements between known landmarks. Relative to controls, adult male GFAP.HMOX10-12m mice manifested craniofacial dysmorphology including elongation of the nasal bones, alteration of head shape anisotropy and reduction of directional asymmetry in facial shape features. These findings demonstrate that GFAP.HMOX10-12m mice exhibit craniofacial anomalies resembling those described in schizophrenia patients, implicating heme oxygenase-1 in their development. As a preclinical mouse model, GFAP.HMOX10-12m mice provide a novel opportunity for the study of the etiopathogenesis of craniofacial and other anomalies in schizophrenia and related disorders.

The apple transcription factor MdbHLH4 regulates plant morphology and fruit development by promoting cell enlargement

The bHLH family, the second largest transcription factor (TF) family in plants, plays a crucial role in regulating plant growth and development processes. However, the biological functions and mechanisms of most bHLH proteins remain unknown, particularly in apples. In this study, we found that MdbHLH4 positively modulates plant growth and development by enhancing cell expansion. Overexpression (OE) of MdbHLH4 resulted in increased biomass, stem and root length, leaf area, and larger areas of pith, xylem, and cortex with greater cell size compared with wild-type apple plants. Conversely, RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated silencing of MdbHLH4 led to reduced xylem and phloem as well as smaller cell size compared to wild-type apple plants. Ectopic expression of MdbHLH4 in tomatoes resulted in enlarged fruits with impaired color appearance, decreased accumulation of soluble solids, and decreased flesh firmness along with larger seeds. Subsequent investigations have shown that MdbHLH4 directly binds to the promoters of MdARF6b and MdPIF4b, enhancing their expression levels. These findings suggest that MdbHLH4 potentially regulates plant cell expansion through auxin and light signaling pathways. These study results not only provide new insights into the roles of bHLH transcription factors in regulating plant growth and development but also contribute to a deeper understanding of their underlying mechanisms.

Effect of cell size distribution on mechanical properties of strawberry fruit tissue

Strawberry fruit are high value, but also perishable products, because of their soft texture. Better insight on the strawberry mechanics are requested for understanding postharvest decay due to bruising. To gain data on the volumetric cell size distribution of strawberry tissue capturing the volume of 10 * 5 * 5 mm, fruit cells were suspended in 0.3 M mannitol solution. Cell size of 'Flair', 'Malwina', and 'Sonata' strawberry fruit, each in three commercially marketed ripeness stages (N = 135), was measured with particle size analyzer based on laser light scattering density analysis (LSD). The strawberry cell size distribution showed a wide range from 30-500 µm with frequency peak between 200 and 240 µm. The cell size of 'Flair' and 'Malwina' was smaller compared to 'Sonata' strawberry fruit. The volumetric cell size distribution obtained by LSD was correlated to microscopy results (R² = 0.97-0.99) obtained on single cells (N = 1215), indicating that LSD can be used for measuring the percentages of different cell size ranges of volumetric fruit sample. The three ripeness stages were classified with Gaussian Naïve Bayes approach considering absorption coefficient of anthocyanins at 405 nm (GNBa) and percentage frequency of peak cell size (GNBc). For GNBa classes, ripening stage showed no interaction with failure stress, strain, and elastic modulus. Considering GNBc classes, the failure stress and elastic modulus of strawberry tissue increased with enhanced percentage frequency of peak cell size for all three cultivars. An enhanced percentage frequency of large cells resulted in increased susceptibility of the strawberry tissue. Overall, this study showed that LSD cell size distribution data from a volumetric tissue sample are related to fruit tissue mechanics, which is conducive to a better analysis of the actual stress and damage problems of strawberry fruit tissue specimens during compression in supply chain processes.

Development of a new bio-microscope for 3D geometry characterization of fruit single cells

Fruit cells are living irregular three-dimensional (3D) transparent objects which makes them challenging to determine their real 3D size and shape through only two-dimensional (2D) images using the existing biological microscope. This study deals with a newly self-developed biological microscope including a microscope imaging system, a light source system, a stage and a support base for the 3D size characterization of fruit single cells. The main design concept is based on two optical path systems set up at the front (x-axis) and bottom (z-axis) directions of a transparent chamber containing single cells that allow the front view and bottom view of the single cell to be observed. Performance indicators such as mass, size, observation range, objective magnification, total magnification, focal range, focal accuracy, and resolution of the developed biological microscope were estimated. Finally, the 3D geometry size of single tomato cells was measured by the new biological microscope to demonstrate the relative ease at which accurate real 3D geometry information of single fruit cells could be obtained, which echoes its scientific value.

A Large-Scale Fully Annotated Low-Cost Cost Microscopy Image Dataset for Deep Learning Framework

This work presents a large-scale three-fold annotated, low-cost microscopy image dataset of potato tubers for plant cell analysis in deep learning (DL) framework which has huge potential in the advancement of plant cell biology research. Indeed, low-cost microscopes coupled with new generation smartphones could open new aspects in DL-based microscopy image analysis, which offers several benefits including portability, easy to use, and maintenance. However, its successful implications demand properly annotated large number of diverse microscopy images, which has not been addressed properly- that confines the advanced image processing based plant cell research. Therefore, in this work, a low-cost microscopy image database of potato tuber cells having total 34,657 number of images, has been generated by Foldscope (costs around 1 USD) coupled with a smartphone. This dataset includes 13,369 unstained and 21,288 stained (safranin-o, toluidine blue-o, and lugol's iodine) images with three-fold annotation based on weight, section areas, and tissue zones of the tubers. The physical image quality (e.g., contrast, focus, geometrical attributes, etc.) and its applicability in the DL framework (CNN-based multi-class and multi-label classification) have been examined and results are compared with the traditional microscope image set. The results show that the dataset is highly compatible for the DL framework.

Spatial and temporal evolution of quantitative magnetic resonance imaging parameters of peach and apple fruit - relationship with biophysical and metabolic traits

Fruits are complex organs that are spatially regulated during development. Limited phenotyping capacity at cell and tissue levels is one of the main obstacles to our understanding of the coordinated regulation of the processes involved in fruit growth and quality. In this study, the spatial evolution of biophysical and metabolic traits of peach and apple fruit was investigated during fruit development. In parallel, the multi-exponential relaxation times and apparent microporosity were assessed by quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The aim was to identify the possible relationships between MRI parameters and variations in the structure and composition of fruit tissues during development so that transverse relaxation could be proposed as a biomarker for the assessment of the structural and functional evolution of fruit tissues during growth. The study provides species-specific data on developmental and spatial variations in density, cell number and size distribution, insoluble and soluble compound accumulation and osmotic and water potential in the fruit mesocarp. Magnetic resonance imaging was able to capture tissue evolution and the development of pericarp heterogeneity by accessing information on cell expansion, water status and distribution at cell level, and microporosity. Changes in vacuole-related transverse relaxation rates were mostly explained by cell/vacuole size. The impact of cell solute composition, microporosity and membrane permeability on relaxation times is also discussed. The results demonstrate the usefulness of MRI as a tool to phenotype fruits and to access important physiological data during development, including information on spatial variability.

A large-scale optical microscopy image dataset of potato tuber for deep learning based plant cell assessment

We present a new large-scale three-fold annotated microscopy image dataset, aiming to advance the plant cell biology research by exploring different cell microstructures including cell size and shape, cell wall thickness, intercellular space, etc. in deep learning (DL) framework. This dataset includes 9,811 unstained and 6,127 stained (safranin-o, toluidine blue-o, and lugol's-iodine) images with three-fold annotation including physical, morphological, and tissue grading based on weight, different section area, and tissue zone respectively. In addition, we prepared ground truth segmentation labels for three different tuber weights. We have validated the pertinence of annotations by performing multi-label cell classification, employing convolutional neural network (CNN), VGG16, for unstained and stained images. The accuracy has been achieved up to 0.94, while, F2-score reaches to 0.92. Furthermore, the ground truth labels have been verified by semantic segmentation algorithm using UNet architecture which presents the mean intersection of union up to 0.70. Hence, the overall results show that the data are very much efficient and could enrich the domain of microscopy plant cell analysis for DL-framework.

Organ-wide and ploidy-dependent regulation both contribute to cell-size determination: evidence from a computational model of tomato fruit

The development of a new organ is the result of coordinated events of cell division and expansion, in strong interaction with each other. This study presents a dynamic model of tomato fruit development that includes cell division, endoreduplication, and expansion processes. The model is used to investigate the potential interactions among these developmental processes within the context of the neo-cellular theory. In particular, different control schemes (either cell-autonomous or organ-controlled) are tested and compared to experimental data from two contrasting genotypes. The model shows that a pure cell-autonomous control fails to reproduce the observed cell-size distribution, and that an organ-wide control is required in order to get realistic cell-size variations. The model also supports the role of endoreduplication as an important determinant of the final cell size and suggests that a direct effect of endoreduplication on cell expansion is needed in order to obtain a significant correlation between size and ploidy, as observed in real data.

Impact of drying methods on the changes of fruit microstructure unveiled by X-ray micro-computed tomography

Distinct evolution of fruit microstructure under different drying conditions were identified using a 3D imaging and Eulerian–Lagrangian analysis.

Transport of cellular water during drying: An understanding of cell rupturing mechanism in apple tissue

The cellular structure of food tissue is complex, and it is difficult to understand the morphological changes during drying. Three different cellular environments, namely intracellular space, intercellular space, and cell wall in food tissue contain a different proportion of water. It is crucial to understand the moisture migration mechanisms from different cellular environments during drying for improving energy efficiency and for ensuring better quality dried foods. Due to the lack of sufficient understanding of transport mechanisms of different types of water, existing mathematical models for food drying have been developed without considering these components separately. Therefore, the main aim of the present work is to investigate the transport mechanisms of cellular water during drying. Experiments were performed using ¹H NMR T₂ relaxometry to investigate the proportion of different types of water at various stages of drying, taking apple as a sample. It was found that intercellular water migrates from intracellular region to the intercellular spaces mainly through rupturing of the cell membranes during drying of apple tissue. The cell membrane ruptures take place at various stages of drying rather than collapsing at one time. Interestingly, the trends of rupturing the cell membranes follow mostly a uniform pattern as rupturing takes places almost at a regular interval. The results were compared with the rupturing mechanism in the low porous material (potato) reported in authors' previous study. It was also observed that most of the cell membranes of potato tissue rupture at middle stages of drying while apple tissues rapture mostly uniformly. The penetration rate of heat energy with the pressure gradient between intracellular and intercellular environments are the predominant factors that cause the rupturing the cell membranes.

Multiscale Biomechanics of Tomato Fruits: A Review

Bruising and other mechanical damage to fruit caused by external forces during and postharvesting is manifested at the macroscale but is ultimately the result of failure of cells at the microscale. However, fruits have internal structures and cells from different tissue types react differently to application of an external force. Not much is known about the effects of such forces on single cells within tissues and one reason for this is the lack of multiscale models linking macro- (organ or whole fruit), meso- (tissue), and micro- (cell) mechanics. This review concerns tomato fruits specifically as this is an important crop and is an excellent exemplar of past and proposed research in this field. The first consideration is the multiscale anatomy of tomato fruits that provides the basis for mechanical modeling. The literature on experimental methods for studying multiscale mechanics of fruit is then reviewed, as are recent results from using those methods. Finally, future research directions are discussed, in particular the combination of work over all scales. It is clear that a bottom-up approach incorporating single-cell mechanics in finite element models of whole fruit assumed to have internal structures is a promising way forward for tomato fruits but further method developments may be needed for these and other fruits and vegetables, in particular recovery of representative single cells from tissues for mechanical characterization.

Quantitative phosphoproteomics of protein kinase SnRK1 regulated protein phosphorylation in Arabidopsis under submergence

SNF1 RELATED PROTEIN KINASE 1 (SnRK1) is proposed to be a central integrator of the plant stress and energy starvation signalling pathways. We observed that the Arabidopsis SnRK1.1 dominant negative mutant (SnRK1.1 (K48M) ) had lower tolerance to submergence than the wild type, suggesting that SnRK1.1-dependent phosphorylation of target proteins is important in signalling pathways triggered by submergence. We conducted quantitative phosphoproteomics and found that the phosphorylation levels of 57 proteins increased and the levels of 27 proteins decreased in Col-0 within 0.5-3h of submergence. Among the 57 proteins with increased phosphorylation in Col-0, 38 did not show increased phosphorylation levels in SnRK1.1 (K48M) under submergence. These proteins are involved mainly in sugar and protein synthesis. In particular, the phosphorylation of MPK6, which is involved in regulating ROS responses under abiotic stresses, was disrupted in the SnRK1.1 (K48M) mutant. In addition, PTP1, a negative regulator of MPK6 activity that directly dephosphorylates MPK6, was also regulated by SnRK1.1. We also showed that energy conservation was disrupted in SnRK1.1 (K48M) , mpk6, and PTP1 (S7AS8A) under submergence. These results reveal insights into the function of SnRK1 and the downstream signalling factors related to submergence.

Multiscale investigation of mealiness in apple: an atypical role for a pectin methylesterase during fruit maturation

BACKGROUND

Apple fruit mealiness is one of the most important textural problems that results from an undesirable ripening process during storage. This phenotype is characterized by textural deterioration described as soft, grainy and dry fruit. Despite several studies, little is known about mealiness development and the associated molecular events. In this study, we integrated phenotypic, microscopic, transcriptomic and biochemical analyses to gain insights into the molecular basis of mealiness development.

RESULTS

Instrumental texture characterization allowed the refinement of the definition of apple mealiness. In parallel, a new and simple quantitative test to assess this phenotype was developed.

CONCLUSIONS

These data support the role of PME in cell wall remodelling during apple fruit development and ripening and suggest a local action of these enzymes. Mealiness may partially result from qualitative and spatial variations of pectin microarchitecture rather than quantitative pectin differences, and these changes may occur early in fruit development. The specific MdPME2 gene highlighted in this study could be a good early marker of texture unfavourable trait in apple.

Cell wall structures leading to cultivar differences in softening rates develop early during apple (Malus x domestica) fruit growth

BACKGROUND

There is a paucity of information regarding development of fruit tissue microstructure and changes in the cell walls during fruit growth, and how these developmental processes differ between cultivars with contrasting softening behaviour. In this study we compare two apple cultivars that show different softening rates during fruit development and ripening. We investigate whether these different softening behaviours manifest themselves late during ethylene-induced softening in the ripening phase, or early during fruit expansion and maturation.

RESULTS

'Scifresh' (slow softening) and 'Royal Gala' (rapid softening) apples show differences in cortical microstructure and cell adhesion as early as the cell expansion phase. 'Scifresh' apples showed reduced loss of firmness and greater dry matter accumulation compared with 'Royal Gala' during early fruit development, suggesting differences in resource allocation that influence tissue structural properties. Tricellular junctions in 'Scifresh' were rich in highly-esterified pectin, contributing to stronger cell adhesion and an increased resistance to the development of large airspaces during cell expansion. Consequently, mature fruit of 'Scifresh' showed larger, more angular shaped cells than 'Royal Gala', with less airspaces and denser tissue. Stronger cell adhesion in ripe 'Scifresh' resulted in tissue fracture by cell rupture rather than by cell-to-cell-separation as seen in 'Royal Gala'. CDTA-soluble pectin differed in both cultivars during development, implicating its involvement in cell adhesion. Low pectin methylesterase activity during early stages of fruit development coupled with the lack of immuno-detectable PG was associated with increased cell adhesion in 'Scifresh'.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that cell wall structures leading to differences in softening rates of apple fruit develop early during fruit growth and well before the induction of the ripening process.

Chromatographic analysis of age-related changes in mucosal serotonin transmission in the murine distal ileum

BACKGROUND

In the upper bowel, alterations in motility and absorption of key nutrients have been observed as part of the normal ageing process. Serotonin (5-HT) is a key signalling molecule in the gastrointestinal tract and is known to influence motility, however little is known of how the ageing process alters 5-HT signalling processes in the bowel.

RESULTS

An isocratic chromatographic method was able to detect all 5-HT precursors and metabolites. Using extracellular and intracellular sampling approaches, we were able to monitor all key parameters associated with the transmission process. There was no alteration in the levels of tryptophan and 5-HTP between 3 and 18 month old animals. There was a significant increase in the ratio of 5-HT:5-HTP and an increase in intracellular 5-HT between 3 and 18 month old animals suggesting an increase in 5-HT synthesis. There was also a significant increase in extracellular 5-HT with age, suggesting increased 5-HT release. There was an age-related decrease in the ratio of intracellular 5-HIAA:extracellular 5-HT, whilst the amount of 5-HIAA did not change with age. In the presence of an increase in extracellular 5-HT, the lack of an age-related change in 5-HIAA is suggestive of a decrease in re-uptake via the serotonin transporter (SERT).

CONCLUSIONS

We have used intracellular and extracellular sampling to provide more insight into alterations in the neurotransmission process of 5-HT during normal ageing. We observed elevated 5-HT synthesis and release and a possible decrease in the activity of SERT. Taken together these changes lead to increased 5-HT availability and may alter motility function and could lead to the changes in adsorption observed in the elderly.

Bent bone dysplasia-FGFR2 type, a distinct skeletal disorder, has deficient canonical FGF signaling

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) is a crucial regulator of bone formation during embryonic development. Both gain and loss-of-function studies in mice have shown that FGFR2 maintains a critical balance between the proliferation and differentiation of osteoprogenitor cells. We have identified de novo FGFR2 mutations in a sporadically occurring perinatal lethal skeletal dysplasia characterized by poor mineralization of the calvarium, craniosynostosis, dysmorphic facial features, prenatal teeth, hypoplastic pubis and clavicles, osteopenia, and bent long bones. Histological analysis of the long bones revealed that the growth plate contained smaller hypertrophic chondrocytes and a thickened hypercellular periosteum. Four unrelated affected individuals were found to be heterozygous for missense mutations that introduce a polar amino acid into the hydrophobic transmembrane domain of FGFR2. Using diseased chondrocytes and a cell-based assay, we determined that these mutations selectively reduced plasma-membrane levels of FGFR2 and markedly diminished the receptor's responsiveness to extracellular FGF. All together, these clinical and molecular findings are separate from previously characterized FGFR2 disorders and represent a distinct skeletal dysplasia.

A genomics approach to understanding the role of auxin in apple (Malus x domestica) fruit size control

BACKGROUND

Auxin is an important phytohormone for fleshy fruit development, having been shown to be involved in the initial signal for fertilisation, fruit size through the control of cell division and cell expansion, and ripening related events. There is considerable knowledge of auxin-related genes, mostly from work in model species. With the apple genome now available, it is possible to carry out genomics studies on auxin-related genes to identify genes that may play roles in specific stages of apple fruit development.

RESULTS

High amounts of auxin in the seed compared with the fruit cortex were observed in 'Royal Gala' apples, with amounts increasing through fruit development. Injection of exogenous auxin into developing apples at the start of cell expansion caused an increase in cell size. An expression analysis screen of auxin-related genes involved in auxin reception, homeostasis, and transcriptional regulation showed complex patterns of expression in each class of gene. Two mapping populations were phenotyped for fruit size over multiple seasons, and multiple quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were observed. One QTL mapped to a region containing an Auxin Response Factor (ARF106). This gene is expressed during cell division and cell expansion stages, consistent with a potential role in the control of fruit size.

CONCLUSIONS

The application of exogenous auxin to apples increased cell expansion, suggesting that endogenous auxin concentrations are at least one of the limiting factors controlling fruit size. The expression analysis of ARF106 linked to a strong QTL for fruit weight suggests that the auxin signal regulating fruit size could partially be modulated through the function of this gene. One class of gene (GH3) removes free auxin by conjugation to amino acids. The lower expression of these GH3 genes during rapid fruit expansion is consistent with the apple maximising auxin concentrations at this point.

High performance liquid chromatography method for the detection of released purinergic and biogenic amine signaling molecules from in vitro ileum tissue

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and serotonin (5-HT) are known to play key roles in the function and activity of the gastrointestinal tract; however, no methods have been established for the monitoring of these signaling molecules within one assay. We have developed a simple chromatographic methodology using UV/visible detection for the analysis of purinergic and biogenic amine signaling molecules. The chromatographic separation was achieved in an isocratic mode, where the mobile phase consisted of 5% methanol and 95% ammonium phosphate buffer with 10 mM tetrabutylammonium bisulfate. Column temperature of 45 degrees C provided the means to separate all analytes within 14.7 min. Good resolution and tailing factors were observed for all components within the separation. The LOD for ATP and 5-HT was 30 and 317 nM, respectively, with a linear range from 10-0.02 microM. In vitro measurements were carried out by using aliquots from the buffer the tissue was stored in after 30 min to measure released molecules. In vitro assay of ileum tissue in the presence and absence of endogenous ATP was carried out. Results showed that ATP can elevate 5-HT release. This method can be used to study alterations in these key signaling molecules with gastrointestinal disease.

Stereological estimation of cell wall density of DR12 tomato mutant using three-dimensional confocal imaging

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The cellular structure of fleshy fruits is of interest to study fruit shape, size, mechanical behaviour or sensory texture. The cellular structure is usually not observed in the whole fruit but, instead, in a sample of limited size and volume. It is therefore difficult to extend measurements to the whole fruit and/or to a specific genotype, or to describe the cellular structure heterogeneity within the fruit.

METHODS

An integrated method is presented to describe the cellular structure of the whole fruit from partial three-dimensional (3D) observations, involving the following steps: (1) fruit sampling, (2) 3D image acquisition and processing and (3) measurement and estimation of relevant 3D morphological parameters. This method was applied to characterize DR12 mutant and wild-type tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum).

KEY RESULTS

The cellular structure was described using the total volume of the pericarp, the surface area of the cell walls and the ratio of cell-wall surface area to pericarp volume, referred to as the cell-wall surface density. The heterogeneity of cellular structure within the fruit was investigated by estimating variations in the cell-wall surface density with distance to the epidermis.

CONCLUSIONS

The DR12 mutant presents a greater pericarp volume and an increase of cell-wall surface density under the epidermis.

Is fruit anatomy involved in variation in fruit starch concentration between Actinidia deliciosa genotypes?

The role of anatomical traits in carbohydrate accumulation was investigated in fruit of Actinidia deliciosa (A. Chev.) C. F. Liang et A. R. Ferguson (kiwifruit) var. deliciosa by comparing high and low dry matter (DM) accumulating genotypes. DM was shown previously to be correlated with starch concentration in these fruit. Volume proportions of the three fruit tissues (outer pericarp, inner pericarp and central core) did not vary significantly between genotypes or contribute to variation in total fruit DM. The outer pericarp of the kiwifruit berry contains both small and large cells: the size of these cells was not correlated with final fruit size. In high DM genotypes, the relative volume of outer pericarp tissue occupied by small cells (50%) was significantly greater than that in low DM genotypes (43%). Small cells have a higher starch concentration than large cells: the larger proportion of small cells in the outer pericarp of fruit from high DM genotypes accounted for approximately +25% of the measured differences in fruit starch concentration between high and low DM genotypes. We conclude that, although anatomical traits contribute to variation in fruit starch concentration between kiwifruit genotypes, differences in starch content per small cell are important and worthy of further investigation. This is the first time anatomical investigations have been used to examine differences in fruit carbohydrate accumulation in kiwifruit.