烟草microRNA171c的功能分析

MicroRNA是一类长度为20~24碱基的非编码小RNA,调控植物多种生理代谢途径。MicroRNA171(miR171)在拟南芥、大麦和水稻中通过负调控SCL靶基因使植物表现出分枝结构变化和其他一些发育表型,还可调控拟南芥叶绿素的合成代谢。但其他植物miR171的功能仍然未知。为了探明烟草miR171c的功能,本研究根据烟草miR171c序列设计了靶基因模拟物STTM171,通过病毒表达载体在烟草中进行表达,抑制miR171c的活性后观察植物表型变化。结果表明在病毒表达STTM171烟草中,植株出现顶端优势丧失、茎干增多等表型。荧光定量PCR检测到STTM171过表达植株miR171c表达量下降,两个推测的SCL靶基因TC134811和TC127385表达量上升,表明miR171c可能在烟草和拟南芥等植物中的功能比较保守,可以通过调控可能的靶基因SCL来调节植物的生长发育。     

伴胞细胞中表达的组蛋白脱甲基化酶感受发育信号调控开花时间

开花是高等植物发育过程中一个非常重要的转化过程,它能够保证植物的正常发育和后代的延续,并且有重要的农业价值和观赏价值[1]．开花时间的调控是一个非常复杂的过程,受到自身发育信号和外部环境因素的共同影响[2-3]．FLC是拟南芥开花调节过程中的中心抑制因子,其在拟南芥顶端分生组织和叶片维管束的伴胞细胞中均有表达,并且这两个部位的FLC对开花时间都有重要的调节作用[4]．目前已知的多数影响开花的通路都通过调节顶端FLC的表达来调控植物开花时间,关于伴胞细胞中的FLC如何被调控的研究还非常少[1, 3]． 在动植物中都存在一类具有JmjC结构域的蛋白质,是一类保守的组蛋白脱甲基化酶[5]．我们实验室最近的工作表明,JMJ18是一个受植物自身发育调节的H3K4脱甲基化酶,JMJ18主要在伴胞细胞中表达,通过特异调节伴胞细胞中的FLC调控植物开花时间[6]． Yang等[6]实验证实在体外全长的JMJ18可以特异性地以H3K4m3的多肽为底物,脱掉其上一个甲基生成H3K4m2．在拟南芥中,JMJ18主要在伴胞细胞中表达,并且表达水平受到植物自身发育进程的调控[4]．JMJ18功能缺失突变体呈现弱的晚花表型,而JMJ18的超表达植株呈现明显的早花表型,说明JMJ18参与了拟南芥开花时间的调控[4].尽管多个具有JmjC结构域的组蛋白脱甲基化酶,如 JMJ14、ELF6/JMJ11、REF6/JMJ12等都参与了拟南芥开花时间的调节,但是机制都不太清楚[5, 7],并且目前没有发现可以直接调控FLC的JmjC蛋白．Yang等的实验证实JMJ18可以结合到FLC的染色质上,通过降低FLC的染色质H3K4m3和H3K4m2修饰抑制FLC表达．FLC表达水平的降低导致FT表达的释放,促进FT在伴胞细胞中积累．积累的FT从伴胞细胞进入筛管组织,进而运输到顶端分生组织,与顶端分生组织特异性表达的bZIP转录因子FD直接相互作用,通过调节下游基因SOC1和AP1调控植物开花进程(图1)． 最近的研究发现,植物开花时间除了受到春化作用、自主途径、光周期途径、GA途径等调控以外,还可以通过自身年龄衡量因子miR156和其靶基因SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING-LIKE (SPLs)调节开花进程[8]．Yang等实验证实：JMJ18主要在韧皮部的伴胞细胞表达．并且同miR156类似,在植物营养生长时期,JMJ18随着发育进程的深入表达水平逐渐升高．SUC2启动子驱动JMJ18在维管伴胞细胞中表达时也出现早花表型并且依赖于FT．这些研究结果表明,同miR156类似,JMJ18受植物自身发育调节,也可能作为自身年龄衡量因子调控植物开花时间,不同点是JMJ18是通过组蛋白修饰直接调节FLC表达调控开花时间的自身年龄衡量因子．即可能有两条感受自身年龄的途径：miR156-SPLs和JMJ18-FLC/MAFs途径,让人感兴趣的是两个因子都是表观遗传调控因子,而且在每个途径中均是前者负调控后者,而且后者均为一个转录因子基因家族,这两个途径最后都调控FT表达．这两个途径之间的关系也是一个有待于研究的科学问题,这可能会对于我们理解自身年龄衡量因子在植物开花进程中的作用有一定的启示．     

响应盐胁迫调控的露地菊miR398a的克隆及功能研究

miRNAs在非生物胁迫中起着重要的作用。通过前期对露地菊Small RNA高通量测序数据测得到miR398a成熟体和前体序列,命名为cgr-miR398a和cgr-MIR398a。序列对比显示,cgr-miR398a与其他植物中已经鉴定的miR398a序列高度保守;利用前期露地菊降解组数据获得miR398a预测的靶基因,cgr-miR398a根和叶中的靶基因共有18个,其中有铜/锌超氧化物歧化酶（CSD2）、铜伴侣蛋白（CCS）、类A20/AN1-l锌指家族蛋白（SAP8）等与抗性相关的基因。qPCR结果显示盐胁迫下露地菊miR398a及靶基因在不同组织部位的表达水平存在显著的负相关性。为探究cgr-miR398a响应盐胁迫的功能,克隆cgr-MIR398a并构建过表达载体转化拟南芥。结果表明,拟南芥中过表达cgr-MIR398a降低了盐胁迫下种子发芽率以及成苗期的抗盐性,说明cgr-miR398a在拟南芥响应盐胁迫中起着负调控作用。这为进一步研究露地菊mi398a的功能和露地菊的抗盐机理奠定了基础。     

大豆miR172家族成员序列及表达模式初步分析

Micro RNAs(miRNAs)在植物的生长发育以及植物对环境的适应方面发挥了重要的作用,成为近几年研究的热点。mi R172家族是一个保守的mi RNA家族,之前的研究表明mi R172的作用涉及生长期过渡、闭花受精、花器官发育、开花时间调控等方面。但是到目前为止,人们对大豆mi R172家族的了解还不是很清楚。本实验通过mi RBase、PLACE数据库及DNAman软件对gma-mi R172家族成员的前体序列、成熟序列、启动子序列进行比较分析,发现gma-mi R172家族成员成熟序列虽然高度保守,但前体序列具有一定的差异,这可能导致了各成员的功能差异;启动子分析显示其启动子含有光反应原件和多种非生物胁迫响应元件,推测其可能参与大豆的开花调控和逆境胁迫响应。通过实时定量PCR分析了大豆mi R172成员的组织特异性表达情况。利用PMRD数据库对gma-mi R172的靶基因进行了生物信息学分析,获得了7个AP2-like类转录因子,参与花器官发育、开花时间调控及非生物胁迫响应的方面。上述结果初步分析了大豆mi R172家族的功能与靶基因,对今后进一步分析研究大豆mi R172家族及其靶基因打下了基础。     

miR160a与其靶基因在西瓜嫁接苗中参与抵御低温胁迫

miR160在许多研究中被报道靶向生长素响应因子(ARF)并参与植物的生长发育,但其在葫芦科作物以及嫁接西瓜耐冷性中的调控机制尚不清晰。本研究利用生物信息学技术对miR160a进行了保守性分析、候选靶基因ARF的预测及验证、结合位点分析以及ARF基因家族的进化分析。本文以西瓜(Citrullus lanatus )为接穗材料,分别以印度南瓜(Cucurbita maxima )、中国南瓜(Cucurbita moschata )和美洲南瓜(Cucurbita pepo) 作为嫁接的砧木材料,以C6实生苗为对照,通过8^oC低温处理7 d后统计冷害指数,检测不同组织中miR160a和靶基因ARF的表达情况来探究嫁接西瓜miR160a与其靶基因在抵御低温胁迫中的调控作用。结果表明:嫁接显著提高了西瓜植株的抗冷性,影响了miR160a和其ARF靶基因的表达,并且miR160a与其靶基因整体上呈现负向调控的模式来参与嫁接西瓜抵御低温胁迫的过程。本文为今后深入研究嫁接耐冷体系提供了新的参考依据和研究基础。     

高表达miR396小分子导致拟南芥花柱头弯曲

MicroRNAs（miRNAs）是大小约21个碱基、内源、非编码的小分子RNA。以拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana）miR396小分子为研究对象,分别克隆到了miR396小分子的两个前体（MIR396a,MIR396b）,得到了转基因植株。通过转基因植株的遗传学研究发现,高表达miR396小分子导致转基因拟南芥的花柱头弯曲。花柱头的弯曲影响了角果的正常发育。另外,Northern杂交结果表明转基因拟南芥花部位的miR396及其前体的表达量与对照相比显著增加。这些结果表明高表达miR396小分子可以导致拟南芥花柱头弯曲。     

拟南芥SUA41基因的表达和功能分析

植物的开花受多条途径的控制, 其中包括光周期途径、春化途径、赤霉素途径、自主途径和温敏途径。SUA41(SUMO substrate in Arabidopsis 41)是本实验室筛选到的、SUMO(Small ubiquitin modifier)的潜在底物, 并且前人的研究发现它参与自主途径的开花调节, 但其对开花时间的调节机制没有详细报道。文章对SUA41基因的表达、sua41突变体对不同环境条件的反应以及SUA41对开花时间调节的可能机制进行初步分析。结果显示, 与野生型相比, sua41突变体在常温或低温、长日或者短日条件下均为早花, 并且在低温和常温下的开花时间没有太大差别。过表达SUA41能够恢复sua41突变体的早花表型。SUA41基因在拟南芥的幼苗、根、茎、叶和花以及各个植物发育阶段都有表达, 说明SUA41基因是一个组成型表达基因。SUA41基因的表达与GA处理无关, 长日低温条件能够诱导SUA41基因的表达, 且在温敏途径突变体fve和fca中SUA41基因的表达量减少。与野生型比较, sua41突变体中CO基因的mRNA表达量没有明显变化, FT和SOC1基因表达量增加且FT增加幅度更大, FLC的mRNA表达量减少。结果表明SUA41基因虽然在自主途径中起作用, 但主要在温敏途径中参与拟南芥开花时间调节。     

拟南芥成花关键基因调控网络研究进展

开花是植物从营养生长转变为生殖生长的重要时期,而开花调控成为近年来植物分子生物学研究的热点。在目前已有的研究中,调控拟南芥开花的基因网络已经发展成一个包含串扰(Crosstalk)、反馈(Feedback)和冗余(Redundancy)的复杂网络,这个网络通过开花整合子来与其他发育过程紧密结合。以调节开花的遗传途径作为基础,重点讨论了顶端分生组织中的信号积累、花发育的时空调节、开花相关基因在拟南芥开花时间或花发育过程以外的其他过程中的功能,并对开花调控网络的深入研究进行了展望。     

植物如何消除春化的记忆——ELF6阻止春化状态遗传给下一代

<正>植物能够感知周围环境,控制和协调自身的发育,使其在合适的时间开花结果。春化过程就是一个很好的例子,植物通过感受冬天连续的低温环境,逐渐抑制开花抑制因子的表达,并且能够在冬季之后保持该基因的抑制状态,即植物通过表观修饰可以在随后的发育过程中记住基因的表达状态,从而促进开花。春化对于许多冬性作物(如小麦、大麦)的高产、稳产也具有重要作用。模式植物拟南芥和作物通过不同的开花抑制因子(例如:拟南芥中FLC和小麦及大麦中VRN2)响应春化过程,但研究认为它们具有类似的调节机制。认识拟南芥中FLC的调节对     

拟南芥花分生组织决定基因AGL24对花发育的影响

AGAMOUS-LIKE 24(AGL24)基因编码MADS蛋白,在植物花发育的不同时期发挥着重要的作用。综述了AGL24如何通过和其他花分生组织决定基因的相互作用来影响拟南芥花的发育,调节开花时间,这将有助于人们对开花基因调控网络有更进一步的认识,能够在生产上有效的调控开花时间,从而为植物育种提供借鉴。     

A Unique Protease Cleavage Site Predicted in the Spike Protein of the Novel Pneumonia Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Potentially Related to Viral Transmissibility

正Dear Editor,In December 2019, a novel human coronavirus caused an epidemic of severe pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019,COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China(Wu et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2020). So far, this virus has spread to all areas of China and even to other countries. The epidemic has caused 67,102 confirmed infections with 1526 fatal cases     

Curcuminoids as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase: A receptor based pharmacophore study with distance mapping of the active site

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric that interacts irreversibly forming an adduct with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme responsible for redox control of cell and defence against oxidative stress. Docking at both the active sites of TrxR was performed to compare the potency of three naturally occurring curcuminoids, namely curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Results show that active sites of TrxR occur at the junction of E and F chains. Volume and area of both cavities is predicted. It has been concluded by distance mapping of the most active conformations that Se atom of catalytic residue SeCYS498, is at a distance of 3.56 from C13 of demethoxy curcumin at the E chain active site, whereas C13 carbon atom forms adduct with Se atom of SeCys 498. We report that at least one methoxy group in curcuminoids is necessary for interation with catalytic residues of thioredoxin. Pharmacophore of both active sites of the TrxR receptor for curcumin and demethoxy curcumin molecules has been drawn and proposed for design and synthesis of most probable potent antiproliferative synthetic drugs.     

Comparative morphology of the carpel in the Liliaceae: Hewardieae, Petrosavieae, and Tricyrteae

The young pistils in the melanthioid tribes, Hewardieae, Petrosavieae and Tricyrteae, are uniformly tricarpellate and syncarpous. They lack raphide idioblasts. All are multiovulate, with bitegmic ovules. The Petrosavieae are marked by the presence of septal glands and incomplete syncarpy. Tepals and stamens adhere to the ovary in the Hewardieae and the Petrosavieae but not in the Tricyrteae. Two vascular bundles occur in the stamens of the Hewartlieae and Tricyrtis latifolia. Ventral bundles in the upper part of the ovary of the Hewardieae are continuous with compound septal bundles and placental bundles in the lower part. Putative ventral bundles occur in the alternate position in the Tricyrteae and putative placental bundles in the opposite. position in the Petrosavieae. The dichtomously branched stigma in each carpel of the Tricyrteae is supplied by a bifurcated dorsal bundle.     

Enterovirus 71 3C proteolytically processes the histone H3 N-terminal tail during infection

Highlights
1. The N-terminal tail of histone H3 is specifically cleaved during EV71 infection.
2. Viral protease 3C is identified as a protease responsible for proteolytically processing the N-terminal H3 tail.
3. Our finding reveals a new epigenetic regulatory mechanism for Enterovirus 71 in virus-host interactions.     

Detection of EBV and HHV6 in the Brain Tissue of Patients with Rasmussen’s Encephalitis

Rasmussen’s encephalitis (RE) is a rare pediatric neurological disorder, and the exact etiology is not clear. Viral infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of RE, but conflicting results have reported. In this study, we evaluated the expression of both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpes virus (HHV) 6 antigens in brain sections from 30 patients with RE and 16 control individuals by immunohistochemistry. In the RE group, EBV and HHV6 antigens were detected in 56.7% (17/30) and 50% (15/30) of individuals, respectively. In contrast, no detectable EBV and HHV6 antigen expression was found in brain tissues of the control group. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in 20.0% (6/30) of individuals. In particular, a 4-year-old boy had a typical clinical course, including a medical history of viral encephalitis, intractable epilepsy, and hemispheric atrophy. The co-expression of EBV and HHV6 was detected in neurons and astrocytes in the brain tissue, accompanied by a high frequency of CD8⁺ T cells. Our results suggest that EBV and HHV6 infection and the activation of CD8⁺ T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of RE.     

Perinatal Vertical Transmission of Chikungunya Virus in Ruili,a Town on the Border between China and Myanmar

正Dear Editor,Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an arbovirus in the family of Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus, is transmitted by the A.aegyptii or A. albopictus mosquito, and causes disease in humans characterized by fever, rash, and arthralgia (Silva and Dermody 2017; Suhrbier 2019). It was first reported in 1953 in Tanzania, and caused only a few outbreaks and sporadic cases in Africa and Asia in last century. However, in the epidemic in 2004, CHIKV acquired mutations that conferred enhanced transmission by the A. albopictus mosquito(Schuffenecker et al. 2006). Since then, it has successively caused outbreaks in Africa, the Indian Ocean, South East Asia, the South America, and Europe (Zeller et al. 2016).     

Development of a Novel Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2

In conclusion, the novel visual RT-LAMP assay is a simple, rapid, and sensitive approach for detection of SARS-CoV-2, and it is ready for application in primary care and community hospitals or health care centers, and even patients' own houses in response to the current SARS-CoV-2 epidemic because the assay does not require sophisticated equipment and skilled personnel. Furthermore, it is also ready to be used in fields for screening samples from wild animals and environments to facilitate the identification of potential intermediate hosts that mediate the cross-species transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from bats to humans.