MicroRNA‐93‐5p expression in tumor tissue and its tumor suppressor function via targeting programmed death ligand‐1 in colorectal cancer

This work aimed to investigate miR‐93‐5p expression in tumor tissue and its in vitro effects in colorectal cancer (CRC) by targeting programmed death ligand‐1 (PD‐L1). MiR‐93‐5p and PD‐L1 expression was detected in CRC and adjacent normal tissues by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. The correlation between miR‐93‐5p and PD‐L1 was validated by a dual‐luciferase reporter assay. HCT116 and SW480 cells were divided into blank, miR‐NC, miR‐93‐5p mimics, miR‐93‐5p inhibitor, PD‐L1 small interfering RNA (siRNA) and miR‐93‐5p inhibitor + PD‐L1 siRNA groups, and wound‐healing and transwell assays were performed to detect cell migration and invasion, respectively. Protein expression was measured by western blotting. The secretion of cytokines was detected in the CRC cell/T coculture models. MiR‐93‐5p was downregulated in CRC tissues with upregulated PD‐L1. In PD‐L1‐negative patients, miR‐93‐5p expression was increased compared with that in PD‐L1‐positive patients. MiR‐93‐5p and PD‐L1 expression levels were associated with the tumor differentiation, lymphatic metastasis, TNM, Duke's stage, and prognosis of CRC. PD‐L1 siRNA weakened the migration and invasion abilities via decreased expression of matrix metalloproteinase‐1 (MMP‐1), ‐2, and ‐9, and these effects were abolished by the miR‐93‐5p inhibitor. Additionally, anti‐PD‐L1 upregulated the expressions of interleukin‐2 (IL‐2), tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), and interferon γ (IFN‐γ) in the coculture of T cells with CRC cells, but downregulated the expressions of IL‐1β, IL‐10, and TGF‐β. However, these changes were partially reversed by miR‐93‐5p inhibition. miR‐93‐5p is expected to be a novel target for CRC treatment since it decreases the migration and invasion, as well as the immune evasion, of CRC cells via targeting PD‐L1.     

Bacillus subtilis strain L1 promotes nitrate reductase activity in Arabidopsis and elicits enhanced growth performance in Arabidopsis,lettuce, and wheat

Journal of Plant Research - Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are a group of bacteria that promote plants growth in the rhizosphere. PGPRs are involved in various mechanisms that...     

Taxonomic review and phylogenetic inference elucidate the evolutionary history of Mesozoic Procercopidae,with new data from the Cretaceous Jehol Biota of NE China (Hemiptera,Cicadomorpha)

The Mesozoic family Procercopidae is widely treated as the ancient group of Cercopoidea and a transitional unit to recent lineages, but its evolution and diversity are vague due to fragmentary fossil record and confusing taxonomic history. Herein, an extensive taxonomic review of Procercopidae is presented and some new fossils are reported from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of NE China. As a result, Chengdecercopis Hong, 1983 is transferred from Procercopidae to Sinoalidae; Procercopis longipennis Becker-Migdisova, 1962 and P shawanensis Zhang, Wang and Zhang, 2003 are transferred to Procercopina Martynov, 1937, resulting in Procercopina longipennis (Becker-Migdisova, 1962), comb. n. and P shawanensis (Zhang, Wang and Zhang, 2003), comb. n.; Luanpingia senjituensis Hong, 1984 is transferred to Stellularis Chen, Yao and Ren, 2015, leading to Stellulari senjituensis (Hong, 1984), comb. n.; Anthoscytina macula Hu, Yao and Ren, 2014 is transferred to Sinocercopis Hong, 1982, and Sunoscytinopteris (Scytinopteridae) and Cathaycixius (Cixiidae) are treated as junior homonym names of Sinocercopis, leading to Sinocercopis macula (Hu, Yao and Ren, 2014), comb. n., S lushangfenensis (Hong, 1984), comb. n., S pustulosis (Ren, 1995), comb. n., and S trinervis (Ren, 1995), comb. n. Additionally, two new species are erected: Stellularis bineuris Chen and Wang, sp. n. and S minutus Chen and Wang, sp. n. Our cladistic analysis based on wing (tegmen and hind wing) characteristics recovers the high-level relationships within Cercopoidea: Sinoalidae + (Procercopidae + (Cercopionidae + modern cercopoids)). Within the family Procercopidae, the cladistic analysis reveals that the Middle to Late Jurassic Titanocercopis and Jurocercopis and the Cretaceous Cretocercopis occupy the basal position, and a gradual change in wing venation can be recognized from the Early Jurassic Procercopis and Procercopina to the Jurassic Anthoscytina, and then to the Cretaceous Stellularis and Sinocercopis. The two Cretaceous genera, sharing wing traits with extant cercopoids, likely represent transitional forms between Procercopidae and recent Cercopoidea; however, they are very similar to their Jurassic relatives in body structures, suggesting it is applicable to attribute them to Procercopidae. Furthermore, our analysis suggests that the extinction of Procercopidae and the origin and early diversification of modern Cercopoidea approximately coincided with the rise and explosive radiation of angiosperms in the late Early Cretaceous and onwards.     

气候变化和经济发展对肾综合征出血热发生的影响

肾综合征出血热(hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, HFRS)是一种啮齿动物传播的自然疫源性疾病, 危害严重, 已成为全球重要的公共卫生问题。本研究采用数理统计模型及小波分析方法, 对陕西省西安市鄠邑区1984-2016年HFRS的发生与鼠类、气候和经济因素的关系进行分析, 探讨气候和经济因素对HFRS发生的影响。小波分析结果表明, 该地区的HFRS暴发史可能分为两个时期, 推测每个时期具有不同的主要宿主, 在2002年褐家鼠(Rattus norvegicus)可能取代黑线姬鼠(Apodemus agrarius)成为HFRS疫源地的主要宿主。广义可加模型模拟结果表明, HFRS的发生与1984-2001年黑线姬鼠密度间存在极显著非线性效应(F_2.06,9.02 = 102.415, P < 0.01), 两者间显现为正相关; 与2002-2016年的褐家鼠密度间呈正相关(F_1.67,9.02 = 73.929, P < 0.01); HFRS主要宿主的这种变化可能与当地气候变化和经济发展有关: HFRS的发生与年平均温度存在极显著的非线性效应(F_2.93,9.02 = 12.164, P < 0.01), 两者间呈负相关; 同样, HFRS的发生与上一年的国内生产总值(GDP)也存在显著非线性效应(F_1.70,9.02 = 2.917, P < 0.05), 两者间也呈负相关。结构方程模型通过直接和间接的影响途径证明了这种转移机制, 发现温度对HFRS发生有显著的直接负向影响以及通过褐家鼠的间接正向影响; GDP对HFRS发生有直接的负向影响。本研究表明HFRS的发生与气候变化和经济发展相关, 两者均能影响HFRS的暴发, 该结论有助于今后更好地对HFRS疾病进行预防和控制。     

临安区不同森林类型竞争指数比较研究

竞争对树木生长有重要影响,通常用竞争指数定量描述树木之间的竞争关系。以浙江省杭州市临安区的乔木林为对象,利用2004年临安区森林资源监测数据,基于Voronoi图的Hegyi竞争指数,在区域尺度上对临安区多种森林类型的竞争关系进行分析。结果表明：在单木水平上,不同森林类型单木的总竞争指数、种内竞争指数、种间竞争指数在胸径5-10 cm最大;单木平均竞争指数随着胸径的增大而降低,胸径 > 30 cm的竞争压力得以缓解;临安区林木的竞争主要来源于种内竞争,天然林的种内竞争占总竞争指数的比例 > 50%,人工林的种内竞争占总竞争指数的比例 > 60%。径级平均总竞争指数、种内竞争指数、种间竞争指数与胸径的关系均服从对数函数关系。在林分水平上,不同森林类型的林分总竞争指数、种内竞争指数、种间竞争指数存在显著差异。平均总竞争顺序为：天然阔叶林 > 天然针阔混交林 > 人工针叶林 > 天然针叶林 > 人工针阔混交林 > 人工阔叶林。种内平均竞争顺序为：人工针叶林 > 天然阔叶林 > 天然针叶林 > 天然针阔混交林 > 人工针阔混交林 > 人工阔叶林。种间平均竞争顺序为：天然针阔混交林 > 人工针阔混交林 > 天然阔叶林 > 天然针叶林 > 人工针叶林 > 人工阔叶林。人工阔叶林的平均总竞争指数、种内竞争指数和种间竞争指数均为最小,该森林类型以山核桃经济树种为优势树种,说明为提高山核桃产量,人为控制低种植密度的经营措施有效降低了林分竞争强度。     

Genotypic-dependent alternation in D1 protein turnover and PSII repair cycle in psf mutant rice (Oryza sativa L.), as well as its relation to light-induced leaf senescence

Plant Growth Regulation - To clarify the genotypic-dependent alternation in D1 protein turnover and PSII repair cycle and its relation to light intensity in senescent leaves of rice, two rice...     

Development of polymorphic microsatellite markers for the Trichoglossus haematodus and cross-species amplification in Trichoglossus moluccanus

Molecular Biology Reports - Trichoglossus haematodus is the most popular parrots globally and one of the most bred species in Korea's zoos. However, despite its popularity, there are limited...     

Gibberellin-Induced Alterations to the Expression of Cell Wall-Related Genes in the Xylem of Carrot Root

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - Gibberellins (GAs) are a group of plant hormones that play important roles in various processes. Previous studies demonstrated that GA can increase the...     

Influence of membrane-cortex linkers on the extrusion of membrane tubes

The cell membrane is an inhomogeneous system composed of phospholipids, sterols, carbohydrates, and proteins that can be directly attached to underlying cytoskeleton. The protein linkers between the membrane and the cytoskeleton are believed to have a profound effect on the mechanical properties of the cell membrane and its ability to reshape. Here, we investigate the role of membrane-cortex linkers on the extrusion of membrane tubes using computer simulations and experiments. In simulations, we find that the force for tube extrusion has a nonlinear dependence on the density of membrane-cortex attachments: at a range of low and intermediate linker densities, the force is not significantly influenced by the presence of the membrane-cortex attachments and resembles that of the bare membrane. For large concentrations of linkers, however, the force substantially increases compared with the bare membrane. In both cases, the linkers provided membrane tubes with increased stability against coalescence. We then pulled tubes from HEK cells using optical tweezers for varying expression levels of the membrane-cortex attachment protein Ezrin. In line with simulations, we observed that overexpression of Ezrin led to an increased extrusion force, while Ezrin depletion had a negligible effect on the force. Our results shed light on the importance of local protein rearrangements for membrane reshaping at nanoscopic scales.