An important adaptation during colonization of land by plants is gravitropic growth of roots, which enabled roots to reach water and nutrients, and firmly anchor plants in the ground. Here we provide insights into the evolution of an efficient root gravitropic mechanism in the seed plants. Architectural innovation, with gravity perception constrained in the root tips along with a shootward transport route for the phytohormone auxin, appeared only upon the emergence of seed plants. Interspecies complementation and protein domain swapping revealed functional innovations within the PIN family of auxin transporters leading to the evolution of gravitropism-specific PINs. The unique apical/shootward subcellular localization of PIN proteins is the major evolutionary innovation that connected the anatomically separated sites of gravity perception and growth response via the mobile auxin signal. We conclude that the crucial anatomical and functional components emerged hand-in-hand to facilitate the evolution of fast gravitropic response, which is one of the major adaptations of seed plants to dry land.

Summary: Morphogenesis and adaptive tropic growth in plants depend on gradients of the phytohormone auxin, mediated by the membrane‐based PIN‐FORMED (PIN) auxin transporters. PINs localize to a particular side of the plasma membrane (PM) or to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to directionally transport auxin and maintain intercellular and intracellular auxin homeostasis, respectively. However, the molecular cues that confer their diverse cellular localizations remain largely unknown. In this study, we systematically swapped the domains between ER‐ and PM‐localized PIN proteins, as well as between apical and basal PM‐localized PINs from Arabidopsis thaliana, to shed light on why PIN family members with similar topological structures reside at different membrane compartments within cells. Our results show that not only do the N‐ and C‐terminal transmembrane domains (TMDs) and central hydrophilic loop contribute to their differential subcellular localizations and cellular polarity, but that the pairwise‐matched N‐ and C‐terminal TMDs resulting from intramolecular domain–domain coevolution are also crucial for their divergent patterns of localization. These findings illustrate the complexity of the evolutionary path of PIN proteins in acquiring their plethora of developmental functions and adaptive growth in plants.

Objective The rapid spread of COVID-19 has overwhelmed healthcare systems across the world. During the early stage of the pandemic, frontline healthcare workers (FHWs) caring for patients at intensive care units (ICUs) faced extreme pressure and challenges. This qualitative study aimed to describe the different phases of psychological distress of FHWs during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Design Qualitative study. Setting The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, a designated hospital for patients with COVID-19 in central China. Participants Eight physicians and six nurses working in the ICU who provided direct patient care for COVID-19 patients. Methods A descriptive phenomenological study using thematic analysis was applied. Semi-structured one-on-one interviews over telephone or Wechat (a social platform in China) rather than face-to-face interviews were conducted due to quarantine. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim and then were analysed thematically. Findings A total of 14 interviews were conducted, and each interview lasted 20–60 min. Five thematic categories were identified, and the participants’ psychological experiences were classified into five stages (1) the mobilisation period: a sense of responsibility with worries; (2) the preparation period: worries, fears and doubts about the epidemic; (3) the transitional period: complex and diverse psychological feelings; (4) the adaptation period: self-adjustment and help from external support and (5) the reflection period: a reflection on life and nature. Conclusion The study showed that the COVID-19 pandemic had significant psychological impacts on FHWs. Self-regulation and external support help FHWs to overcome challenges to a certain extent. More attention should be paid to the psychological wellbeing of ICU FHWs in COVID-19-designated hospitals.

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are a class of proteins associated with osmotic regulation and plant tolerance to abiotic stress. However, studies on the LEA gene family in the alpine cold-tolerant herb are still limited, and the phylogenetic evolution and biological functions of its family members remain unclear. In this study, we conducted genome-wide identification, phylogenetic evolution, and abiotic stress response analyses of LEA family genes in Notopterygium species, alpine cold-tolerant medicinal herbs in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and adjacent regions. The gene family identification analysis showed that 23, 20, and 20 LEA genes were identified in three Notopterygium species, N. franchetii, N. incisum, and N. forrestii, respectively. All of these genes can be classified into six LEA subfamilies: LEA_1, LEA_2, LEA_5, LEA_6, DHN (Dehydrin), and SMP (seed maturation protein). The LEA proteins in the three Notopterygium species exhibited significant variations in the number of amino acids, physical and chemical properties, subcellular localization, and secondary structure characteristics, primarily demonstrating high hydrophilicity, different stability, and specific subcellular distribution patterns. Meanwhile, we found that the members of the same LEA subfamily shared similar exon–intron structures and conserved motifs. Interestingly, the chromosome distributions of LEA genes in Notopterygium species were scattered. The results of the collinearity analysis indicate that the expansion of the LEA gene family is primarily driven by gene duplication. A Ka/Ks analysis showed that paralogous gene pairs were under negative selection in Notopterygium species. A promoter cis-acting element analysis showed that most LEA genes possessed multiple cis-elements connected to plant growth and development, stress response, and plant hormone signal transduction. An expression pattern analysis demonstrated the species-specific and tissue-specific expression of NinLEAs. Experiments on abiotic stress responses indicated that the NinLEAs play a crucial role in the response to high-temperature and drought stresses in N. franchetii leaves and roots. These results provide novel insights for further understanding the functions of the LEA gene family in the alpine cold-tolerant Notopterygium species and also offer a scientific basis for in-depth research on the abiotic stress response mechanisms and stress-resistant breeding.

Gastric diseases represent a significant challenge to global health. A comprehensive understanding of their complex molecular mechanisms, particularly the pathways of molecular progression in precancerous lesions, is essential for enhancing diagnosis and treatment. StomachDB, the first comprehensive multi-omics database dedicated to gastric diseases, has been developed to address these research needs. This database integrates 6 types of biological data: genomics, transcriptomics, emerging single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and therapeutic-related information. It encompasses 44 gastric-related pathologies, including various forms of gastric cancer, gastric ulcers, and gastritis, primarily involving humans and mice as model organisms. The database compiles approximately 2.5 million curated and standardized profiles, along with 268,394 disease-gene associations. The user-friendly analytics platform provides tools for browsing, querying, visualizing, and downloading data, facilitating systematic exploration of multi-omics features. This integrative approach addresses the limitations of single-omics analyses, such as data heterogeneity and insufficient analytical dimensions. Researchers can investigate the clinical significance of target genes (e.g., CDH1) across different omics levels and explore potential regulatory mechanisms. Furthermore, StomachDB emphasizes the discovery of therapeutic targets by cataloging interactions among chemical drugs, traditional herbal medicines, and probiotics. As an open-access resource, it serves as a powerful tool for studying complex biological interactions and regulatory mechanisms.