The two main glucan polymers cellulose and callose in plant cell wall are synthesized at the plasma membrane by cellulose or callose synthase complexes. Cellulose is the prevalent glucan in cell wall and provides strength to the walls to support directed cell expansion. By contrast, callose is mainly produced in special cell wall and exercises important functions during development and stress responses. However, the structure and precise regulatory mechanism of callose synthase complex is not very clear. This review therefore compares and analyzes the regulation of callose and cellulose synthesis, and further emphasize the future research direction of callose synthesis.

Sesamum indicum is an ancient oil crop grown in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. We have analyzed 23,538 coding sequences (CDS) of S. indicum to understand the factors shaping codon usage in this important oil crop plant. We identified eleven highly preferred codons in S. indicum that have AT-endings. The slope of a neutrality plot was less than one while effective number of codons (ENC) plot showed distribution above and below the standard curve. There is a significant relationship between protein length and relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) at the primary axis while there is a weak correlation between protein length and Nc values. Correspondence analysis conducted on RSCU values differentiated CDS based on their GC content and their characteristic feature and showed a discrete distribution. Moreover, by determining codon usage, we found out that majority of the lignan biosynthesis related genes showed a weaker codon usage bias. These results provide insights into understanding codon evolution in sesame.

Flowering time is a major adaptive trait in plants and an important selection criterion in the breeding for genetic improvement of crop species. QTLs for the time of flower opening and days to flower were identified in a cross between a short duration domesticated cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) variety, 524B, and a relatively long duration wild accession, 219-01. A set of 159 F₇ lines was grown under greenhouse conditions and scored for the flowering time associated phenotypes of time of flower opening and days to flower. Using a LOD threshold of 2.0, putative QTLs were identified and placed on a linkage map consisting of 202 SSR markers and four morphological loci. A total of five QTLs related to the time of flower opening were identified, accounting for 8.8%–29.8% of the phenotypic variation. Three QTLs for days to flower were detected, accounting for 5.7%–18.5% of the phenotypic variation. The major QTL of days to flower and time of flower opening were both mapped on linkage group 1. The QTLs identified in this study provide a strong foundation for further validation and fine mapping for developing an efficient way to restrain the gene flow between the cultivated and wild plants.