Refinement of the locus for non-syndromic sensorineural deafness (DFN2)

Non-syndromic X-linked deafness is a rare form of genetic deafness in humans accounting for a small proportion of all hereditary hearing loss. Different clinical forms of non-syndromic X-linked deafness have been described, and most of these have been mapped. Here, we report a Chinese family affected by a congenital profound sensorineural hearing loss. All phenotypes of this family are clinically compatible with non-syndromic sensorineural deafness (DFN2). A maximum two-point Lod score of 2.32 was obtained at markerDXS6797 (θ = 0.00). Recombinants define a region of 4.3 cm flanked by markersDXS6799 andGATA172D05. This region overlaps the previously reported DFN2 region by 2.0 cm.     

SIRT1‐mediated ERβ suppression in the endothelium contributes to vascular aging

SIRT1 has many important molecular functions in aging, and the estrogen receptors (ERs) have a vasculoprotective effect, although the detailed mechanism for the roles of SIRT1 and ERs in vascular aging remains unclear. We found that ERβ expression in the endothelium was reduced in aging mice, and the expression of ERα and SIRT1 did not change, while SIRT1 activity declined. Further investigation showed that the ERβ expression was regulated by SIRT1 through complexes of SIRT1‐PPARγ/RXR‐p300 that bind to a PPRE (PPAR response element) site on the ERβ promoter, and the declined SIRT1 function in aging mice was due to compromised phosphorylation at S154. A single‐mutant SIRT1‐C152(D) restored the reduced ERβ expression in the endothelium with minimized reactive oxygen species generation and DNA damage and increased mitochondrial function and fatty acid metabolism. In high‐fat diet aging mice, the endothelium‐specific delivery of ERβ or SIRT1‐C152(D) on the vascular wall reduced the circulating lipids with ameliorated vascular damage, including the restored vessel tension and blood pressure. We conclude that SIRT1‐mediated ERβ suppression in the endothelium contributes to vascular aging, and the modulation of SIRT1 phosphorylation through a single‐mutant SIRT1‐C152(D) restores this effect.     

Ambient Temperature is A Strong Selective Factor Influencing Human Development and Immunity

Solar energy, which is essential for the origin and evolution of all life forms on Earth, can be objectively recorded through attributes such as climatic ambient temperature (CAT), ultraviolet radiation (UVR), and sunlight duration (SD). These attributes have specific geographical variations and may cause different adaptation traits. However, the adaptation profile of each attribute and the selective role of solar energy as a whole during human evolution remain elusive. Here, we performed a genome-wide adaptation study with respect to CAT, UVR, and SD using the Human Genome Diversity Project-Centre Etude Polymorphism Humain (HGDP-CEPH) panel data. We singled out CAT as the most important driving force with the highest number of adaptive loci (6 SNPs at the genome-wide 1 × 10⁻⁷ level; 401 at the suggestive 1 × 10⁻⁵ level). Five of the six genome-wide significant adaptation SNPs were successfully replicated in an independent Chinese population (N = 1395). The corresponding 316 CAT adaptation genes were mostly involved in development and immunity. In addition, 265 (84%) genes were related to at least one genome-wide association study (GWAS)-mapped human trait, being significantly enriched in anthropometric loci such as those associated with body mass index (χ²; P < 0.005), immunity, metabolic syndrome, and cancer (χ²; P < 0.05). For these adaptive SNPs, balancing selection was evident in Euro-Asians, whereas obvious positive and/or purifying selection was observed in Africans. Taken together, our study indicates that CAT is the most important attribute of solar energy that has driven genetic adaptation in development and immunity among global human populations. It also supports the non-neutral hypothesis for the origin of disease-predisposition alleles in common diseases.     

代谢工程改造热带假丝酵母高效合成中链ω-羟基脂肪酸

[目的]ω-羟基脂肪酸(ω-hydroxyfatty acid,ω-HFAs)是一种绿色安全无毒,具有良好生物相容性的理想生物降解材料,广泛应用于化工、食品、药学等方面,微生物发酵法生产ω-羟基脂肪酸具有重要的研究意义和应用前景.[方法]为了得到高产ω-羟基脂肪酸的代谢工程菌株,通过同源重组技术,连续敲除二倍体热带假丝...     

Binding analyses between Human PPARgamma-LBD and ligands.

The binding characteristics of a series of PPARgamma ligands (GW9662, GI 262570, cis-parinaric acid, 15-deoxy-Delta(12,14)-prostaglandin J(2), LY171883, indomethacin, linoleic acid, palmitic acid and troglitazone) to human PPARgamma ligand binding domain have been investigated for the first time by using surface plasmon resonance biosensor technology, CD spectroscopy and molecular docking simulation. The surface plasmon resonance biosensor determined equilibrium dissociation constants (KD values) are in agreement with the results reported in the literature measured by other methods, indicating that the surface plasmon resonance biosensor can assume a direct assay method in screening new PPARgamma agonists or antagonists. Conformational changes of PPARgamma caused by the ligand binding were detected by CD determination. It is interesting that the thermal stability of the receptor, reflected by the increase of the transition temperature (T(m)), was enhanced by the binding of the ligands. The increment of the transition temperature (DeltaT(m)) of PPARgamma owing to ligand binding correlated well with the binding affinity. This finding implies that CD could possibly be a complementary technology with which to determine the binding affinities of ligands to PPARgamma. Molecular docking simulation provided reasonable and reliable binding models of the ligands to PPARgamma at the atomic level, which gave a good explanation of the structure-binding affinity relationship for the ligands interacting with PPARgamma. Moreover, the predicted binding free energies for the ligands correlated well with the binding constants measured by the surface plasmon resonance biosensor, indicating that the docking paradigm used in this study could possibly be employed in virtual screening to discover new PPARgamma ligands, although the docking program cannot accurately predict the absolute ligand-PPARgamma binding affinity.     

CdTe nanocrystal-based electrochemical biosensor for the recognition of neutravidin by anodic stripping voltammetry at electrodeposited bismuth film

CdTe quantum dots (QDs)-based electrochemical sensor for recognition of neutravidin, as a model protein, using anodic stripping voltammetry at electrodeposited bismuth film is presented. This biosensor involves the immobilization of the captured QDs conjugates which was dissolved with 1M HCl solution to release cadmium ions and metal components were quantified by anodic stripping voltammetry after a 3-min accumulation at -1.2V on bismuth-film electrode (BiFE) of the biotin, served as recognition element, onto the gold surface in connection with a cysteamine self-assembled monolayer. The modification procedure was characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. We exploit QDs as labels for amplifying signal output and monitoring the extent of competition process between CdTe-labeled neutravidin and the target neutravidin for the limited binding sites on biotin. As expected for the competitive mechanism, the recognition event thus yields distinct cadmium stripping voltammetric current peak, whose response decreases upon increasing the level of target neutravidin concentrations. Under optimal conditions, the voltammetric response is highly linear over the range of 0.5-100 ngL(-1) neutravidin and the limit of detection is estimated to be 0.3 ngL(-1) (5 nM). Unlike earlier two-step sandwich bioassays, the present protocol relies on a one-step competitive assay, which is more accurate and sensitive, showing great promise for rapid, simple and cost-effective analysis of protein.     

Long noncoding RNA SNHG12 indicates the prognosis of prostate cancer and accelerates tumorigenesis via sponging miR-133b

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of death among American men. Increasing evidence has shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in tumorigenesis of PCa. In this study, we explored the biological functions of small nucleolar RNA host gene 12 (SNHG12) and investigated the interaction between miR-133b and SNHG12 in the progression of PCa. Data was downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Human Cancer Metastasis Database, and clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed with relapse-free survival rate. We detected SNHG12 expression level in PCa cells and tissues, and then analyzed its clinical significance, which revealed that SNHG12 has the potent to predict prognosis of PCa. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that SNHG12 was closely related to the progression of PCa and could target candidate microRNA (miR-133b). After transfecting SNHG12 silencing plasmid and miR-133b mimic/sponge, biological function assays were conducted and results illustrated that SNHG12 associated with miR-133b exerted biological effects on cancer cell growth, migration, and invasion. Direct interactions between miR-133b and SNHG12 have been found and SNHG12 acts as an oncogene to promote tumorigenesis of PCa by sponging tumor suppressor gene miR-133b.     

环渤海湾地区连作苹果园土壤中酚酸类物质变化

分析了山东昌邑、栖霞、蓬莱,辽宁大连、抚宁、绥远,河北昌黎、青县等地苹果园连作土壤中酚酸物质的组成和含量,结果表明:连作障碍发生的苹果园土壤中酚酸类物质的组成和含量在不同地区、不同土层厚度间存在显著差异。苹果园土壤中酚酸类物质的含量从春季到秋季随时间的延长逐渐减少,但过程缓慢。且非连作园土壤中酚酸类物质含量显著少于连作土。连作土壤中酚酸物质的组成和含量在不同季节间差异显著,尤其春季土壤中酚酸物质的种类与夏季和秋季显著不同。这可能是因为植物在不同季节分泌的酚酸类物质种类和含量有差别.不同土层中酚酸物质的分布因季节不同而有显著差异。夏季土壤中酚酸物质主要分布在浅层土壤中,而秋季则主要分布在深层土壤中。这可能是由于浇水等果园管理措施和自然降水对土壤中的酚酸物质产生的淋溶作用,使得大量的酚酸物质向深层土壤运动,最终造成了秋季果园连作土中随土层加深而酚酸物质含量增加的现象。不同地区苹果园连作土中,对羟基苯甲酸、(+)-儿茶素、咖啡酸、阿魏酸含量与非连作土无显著差异,而焦性没食子酸、绿原酸和根皮苷显著高于非连作土。焦性没食子酸、绿原酸和根皮苷可能是引起山东、辽宁、河北地区苹果园连作障碍的关键酚酸物质。