Mitochondria and mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membrane in neurodegenerative diseases:Mitochondria generate most of the chemical energy needed to power the biochemical reactions of cells,and thus are often referred to as the"powerhouse"of the cell.Nevertheless,this organelle is also involved in a pleth,ora of different cellular functions such as calcium(Ca^(2+))homeostasis,apoptosis,oxidative stress,and several metabolic pathways including oxidative phosphorylation,tricarboxylic acid cycle,andβ-oxidation of fatty acids.
On 14th September 2023,we were gathered in a Beijing conference hall to exchange views with the leaders of the Chinese Association for International Understanding.We had been introduced about the Association by researcher Zhang Yaowu during our field trips.However,when we met Ai Ping,I had no idea that we were talking with the author of"A Tale of Two Continents:An Autobiography".In receiving his signed book,I realized that the speaker was the current Vice-President of the Chinese Association for International Understanding and a Deputy Minister and an Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Ethiopia.
In 2017,China time and again captured the attention of the world.On January 17,President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at Davos entitled Jointly Shoulder Responsibility of Our Times,Promote Global Growth at the opening session of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.Then,on May 14-15,the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was convened in Bejing,attended by more than 1,500 delegates,including 29 heads of state or government,more than 70 chiefs or their deputies of international Organisations,and senior representatives from more than 110 countries.
Xanthomonas oryzae pv.oryzae(Xoo)secretes transcription activator-like effectors(TALEs)to activate rice susceptibility(S)genes,causing bacterial blight(BB),as well as resistance(R)genes,leading to de-fense against BB.This activation follows a gene-for-gene paradigm that results in an arms race between the TALE of the pathogen and effector-binding elements(EBEs)in the promoters of host genes.In this study,we characterized a novel TALE,designated Tal6b/AvrXa27A,that activates the rice S gene OsSWEET11a and the rice R gene Xa27.Tal6b/AvrXa27A is a member of the AvrXa27/TalAO class and contains 16 repeat variable diresidues(RVDs);one RVD is altered and one is deleted in Tal6b/AvrXa27A compared with AvrXa27,a known avirulence(avr)effector of Xa27.Tal6b/AvrXa27A can transcriptionally activate the expression of Xa27 and OsSWEET11a via EBEs in their corresponding promoters,leading to effector-triggered immunity and susceptibility,respectively.The 16 RVDs in Tal6b/AvrXa27A have no obvious similarity to the 24 RVDs in the effector PthXo1,but EBETal6b and EBEPthXo1 are overlapped in the OsSWEET11a promoter.Tal6b/AvrXa27A is prevalent among Asian Xoo isolates,but PthXo1 has only been reported in the Philippine strain PXO99A.Genome editing of EBETal6b in the OsSWEET11a pro-moter further confirmed the requirement for OsSWEET11a expression in Tal6b/AvrXa27A-dependent susceptibility to Xoo.Moreover,Tal6b/AvrXa27A resulted in higher transcription of Xa27 than of OsSWEET11a,which led to a strong,rapid resistance response that blocked disease development.Thesefindings suggest that Tal6b/AvrXa27A has a dual function:triggering resistance by activating Xa27 gene expression as an avirulence factor and inducing transcription of the S gene OsSWEET11a,resulting in virulence.Intriguingly,Tal6b/AvrXa27A,but not AvrXa27,can bind to the promoter of OsSWEET11a.The underlying recognition mechanism for this binding remains unclear but appears to deviate from the currently accepted TALE code.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Africa focuses on addressing practical issues,while US adapts to a changing reality.From 13 to 18 January,Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited four African countries in keeping with the more than three decades of tradition where Chinese foreign ministers start their yearly overseas visits with a trip to Africa.However,while these visits have become a routine for China’s diplomatic practice,they are not an empty ritual.They represent a tradition of China-Africa pragmatic cooperation defined by mutual consultations and tangible outcomes.It is neither opportunistic nor paternalistic,but rather engagement in the specific issues of concern for the particular country in relation to bilateral cooperation with China and the overall framework of the broader and comprehensive China-Africa cooperation.
In celebration of the 60-year diplomatic bond between China and France and the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism,the Palace Museum in Beijing is hosting an exhibition showcasing over 200 cultural relics.The artifacts include scientific instruments,clocks,enamelware,porcelain,paintings and books collected by museums in both China and France.The museum,also known as the Forbidden City,housed China's imperial palace from the 15th century to the early 20th century.
