Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a model for climacteric fleshy fruit ripening studies. Tomato ripening is regulated by multiple transcription factors together with the plant hormone ethylene and their downstream effector genes. Transcription Factors APETALA2a (AP2a), NON-RIPENING (NOR) and FRUITFULL (FUL1/TDR4 and FUL2/MBP7) were reported as master regulators controlling tomato fruit ripening. Their proposed functions were derived from studies of the phenotype of spontaneous mutants or RNAi knock-down lines rather than, as it appears now, actual null mutants. To study TF function in tomato fruit ripening in more detail, we used CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis to knock out the encoding genes, and phenotypes of these mutants are reported for the first time. While the earlier ripening, orange-ripe phenotype of ap2a mutants was confirmed, the nor null mutant exhibited a much milder phenotype than the spontaneous nor mutant. Additional analyses revealed that the severe phenotype in the spontaneous mutant is caused by a dominant-negative allele. Our approach also provides new insight into the independent and overlapping functions of FUL1 and FUL2. Single and combined null alleles of FUL1 and FUL2 illustrate that these two genes have partially redundant functions in fruit ripening, but also unveil an additional role for FUL2 in early fruit development.

Drug addiction is a common problem worldwide. Research has shown adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to be an important factor related to drug addiction. However, there are few studies on how ACEs lead to drug addiction and the role of resilience and depression in this process. Thus, the main purposes of the study were to determine the proportion of those with adverse childhood experiences who take drugs in adulthood and how resilience and depression affect this relationship. The results showed that (1) greater severity of ACEs made individuals more likely to take drugs; (2) ACEs were positively correlated with depression, and resilience was negatively correlated with ACEs and depression; and (3) ACEs not only affected drug addiction through resilience or depression alone but also through the combined action of resilience and depression, indicating that depression led to drug addiction while resilience weakened the effect of ACEs on depression and drug addiction. Furthermore, in the serial mediation model, abuse, neglect, and family dysfunction were significant predictors of drug addiction. Our results are encouraging in that they provide guidance in understanding the complex relationships among ACEs, resilience, depression, and drug addiction.

Tomato is one of the most consumed vegetable crops worldwide as its fruits are highly palatable and provide nutrition and vitamins. Scientifically, it is the model crop for fleshy fruit development and ripening studies, with a well-annotated genome and ample resources. Fruit development and ripening are complex processes regulated at different organizational levels, in which plant hormones (ethylene, auxin, gibberellin, and abscisic acid) and transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and epigenetic regulation form regulatory cascades or networks to function coordinately. Here, we review recent progress and address remaining questions in relation to the transcriptional regulation of tomato fruit development by transcription factors, as well as highlighting the links with the other regulatory components.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit ripening involves climacteric ethylene production, lycopene accumulation, texture softening, and flavor enhancement, a highly coordinated process accompanied by profound gene expression changes. To construct a comprehensive model of ripening regulation, we studied the effects on ripening phenotypes and underlying gene expression changes in combinations of knockout alleles of NON-RIPENING-like1 (NL1), NON-RIPENING (NAC-NOR, NOR), and RIPENING INHIBITOR (MADS-RIN). Thus, we demonstrated that the products of the putative paralogous transcription factor genes NL1 and NOR together orchestrate ripening initiation and progression through ethylene production. NL1, or the ethylene production that it induces, together with NOR, stimulates the gene expression of transcription factor MADS-RIN, which then becomes the major driver of all ripening processes studied here. NOR and, particularly, NL1 have relatively minor but discernable and clearly different quantitative contributions to the ripening progression after initiation. Thus, the comprehensive model establishes a hierarchy of gene expression events regulating the start and progression of fruit ripening.

The level of depression among drug addicts is generally higher than normal. Hostility and sense of life meaning may influence depression and become risk factors for depression. This study has three research purposes. First, to analyze whether drug use can aggravate hostility and depression levels. Second, to assess whether the hostility has different effects on depression among drug addicts and non-addicts. Third, to examine whether the sense of life meaning has a mediating role between different groups (drug addicts and non-addicts). This study was conducted from March to June 2022. 415 drug addicts (233 males and 182 females) and 411 non-addicts (174 males and 237 females) were recruited in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. After signing informed consent, their psychometric data were obtained using the Cook-Medley Hostility Scale (CMI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) questionnaires. Linear regression models were used to assess the impact of hostility and depression among drug addicts and non-addicts. Bootstrap mediation effect tests were used to further test the mediation effect of sense of life meaning between hostility and depression. The results showed four main outcomes. First, compared with non-addicts, drug addicts had higher levels of depression. Second, hostility exacerbated depression in both drug addicts and non-addicts. Compared with non-addicts, hostile affect had a greater effect on depression in drug addicts. Third, the sense of life meaning among females was higher than males. Fourth, for drug addicts, the sense of life meaning showed a mediating effect between social aversion and depression, while for non-addicts, the sense of life meaning showed a mediating effect between cynicism and depression. Depression is more severe in drug addicts. More attention should be paid to the mental health of drug addicts, because the elimination of negative emotions is conducive to reintegration into society. Our results provide a theoretical basis for reducing depression among drug addicts and non-addicts. As a protective factor, we can reduce their hostility and depression by improving the sense of life meaning.