Cremastra appendiculata has become endangered due to reproductive difficulties. Specifically, vegetative reproduction is almost its only way to reproduce, and, under natural conditions, it cannot grow branches, resulting in an extremely low reproductive coefficient (reproductive percentage). Here, we performed RNA-Seq and a differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis of the three stages of lateral bud development in C. appendiculata after decapitation—dormancy (D2), transition (TD2), and emergence (TG2)—and the annual axillary bud natural break (G1) to gain insight into the molecular regulatory network of shoot branching in this plant. Additionally, we applied the auxin transport inhibitors N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA) and 2,3,5-triiodibenzoic acid (TIBA) to a treated pseudobulb string of C. appendiculata to verify the conclusions obtained by the transcriptome. RNA-Seq provided a wealth of valuable information. Successive pairwise comparative transcriptome analyses revealed 5988 genes as DEGs. GO (Gene Ontology) and KEGG (Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes) analyses of DEGs showed significant enrichments in phytohormone biosynthesis and metabolism, regulation of hormone levels, and a hormone-mediated signaling pathway. qRT-PCR validation showed a highly significant correlation (p < 0.01) with the RNA-Seq generated data. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and qRT-PCR results showed that, after decapitation, the NPA- and TIBA-induced lateral buds germinated due to rapidly decreasing auxin levels, caused by upregulation of the dioxygenase for auxin oxidation gene (DAO). Decreased auxin levels promoted the expression of isopentenyl transferase (IPT) and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, family 735, subfamily A (CYP735A) genes and inhibited two carotenoid cleavage dioxygenases (CCD7 and CCD8). Zeatin levels significantly increased after the treatments. The increased cytokinin levels promoted the expression of WUSCHEL (WUS) and inhibited expression of BRANCHED1 (BRC1) in the cytokinin signal transduction pathway and initiated lateral bud outgrowth. Our data suggest that our theories concerning the regulation of shoot branching and apical dominance is really similar to those observed in annual plants. Auxin inhibits bud outgrowth and tends to inhibit cytokinin levels. The pseudobulb in the plant behaves in a similar manner to that of a shoot above the ground.

UV-B is an important light condition for inducing anthocyanin synthesis in plants. Plants have corresponding photoreceptors such as UV RESISTANCE LOCUS8 (UVR8) and transduce light signals to the nucleus, which regulate the expression of structural and regulatory genes for anthocyanin synthesis through members such as ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5), thereby increasing or decreasing anthocyanin accumulation. At the same time, excessive UV-B irradiation (artificial light experiments or extreme environmental conditions) is a light stress for plants, which can damage plants and cause DNA damage or even cell death and other adverse effects. In addition, the effect of UV-B on anthocyanin accumulation in plants is usually combined with other abiotic factors, including other wavelengths of light, water deficit conditions, high or low temperatures, and heavy metal ions, all of which cause plants to change their anthocyanin accumulation in time to adapt to variable survival conditions. The review aims to bring together our understanding of the interactions between UV-B and anthocyanins, which can help further the development of the anthocyanin industry.

_D-Arabitol is an important functional sugar alcohol, which can be used in the preparation of foods, chemicals, and medicines. Despite biological production of _D-arabitol from low-cost substrates has recently been the focus of research, low yield of this technology has limited its large-scale exploitation. Optimization of this bioprocess could be a promising option to improve the yield of _D-arabitol. In this study, one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) strategy and Box-Behnken design (BBD) were used to increase _D-arabitol production by Metschnikowia reukaufii CICC 31,858 through optimizing the fermentation conditions and medium composition. The OFAT optimization provided the optimal conditions for temperature, agitation speed, and fermentation time of 30℃, 220 rpm, and 6 days, respectively. Likewise, the optimum concentrations of peptone, ammonium sulfate, KH₂PO₄, MgSO₄·7H₂O, and fumaric acid in the fermentation medium were (g/L) 7.5, 1, 2, 0.5, and 7.5, respectively. Under these optimum conditions, 80.43 g/L of _D-arabitol was produced from 200 g/L of glucose, with a productivity of 0.56 g/L/h. The BBD optimization with three important components of fermentation medium (KH₂PO₄, MgSO₄·7H₂O, and fumaric acid) showed that the predicted titer of _D-arabitol varied from 47.21 to 89.27 g/L, and the actual titer of _D-arabitol ranged from 47.36 to 89.83 g/L. The optimum concentrations (g/L) of KH₂PO₄, MgSO₄·7H₂O, and fumaric acid in the fermentation medium were found to be 1.0, 0.5, and 4.7 g/L, respectively. Under the optimum conditions, 92.45 g/L of _D-arabitol was finally produced with the yield and productivity of 0.46 g/g and 0.64 g/L/h, respectively.