Elastin-like polypeptide and γ-zein fusions significantly increase recombinant protein accumulation in soybean seeds

Transgenic Research - Soybean seeds are an ideal host for the production of recombinant proteins because of their high content of proteins, long-term stability of seed proteins under ambient...     

丹江口水库淅川库区大气氮湿沉降特征

大气氮沉降是除河流输入外水库水体重要的外源氮输入途径。以丹江口水库淅川库区为研究区,于2018年11月至2019年10月在库区周边设置了6个采样点,采集并分析了库区大气氮湿沉降样品,探讨氮湿沉降的时空分布特征以及对水库水体外源氮输入的贡献。研究结果表明,研究区大气氮湿沉降量为24.21 kg hm^-2 a^-1,其中氨氮占比（47.45％）为最大,有机氮占比（36.34％）次之,硝氮占比（16.21％）最小。硝氮湿沉降量在空间上表现出显著差异性。氨氮、有机氮湿沉降量的季节差异显著,氨氮是以夏季最高,秋季次之,冬季最低,而有机氮是以秋季最高,夏季次之,冬季最低。氨氮、硝氮、有机氮湿沉降量之间存在显著相关性,氨氮、有机氮湿沉降量与降水量之间存在显著相关性。总氮、氨氮湿沉降量分别为1321.98 t/a和627.34 t/a,分别占河流总氮、氨氮入库量的10.82％、34.85％。研究结果可为探索有针对性的库区水体氮污染控制途径提供重要理论基础。     

A chloride efflux transporter,BIG RICE GRAIN 1, is involved in mediating grain size and salt tolerance in rice

Grain size is determined by the size and number of cells in the grain. The regulation of grain size is crucial for improving crop yield; however, the genes and molecular mechanisms that control grain size remain elusive. Here, we report that a member of the detoxification efflux carrier /Multidrug and Toxic Compound Extrusion (DTX/MATE) family transporters, BIG RICE GRAIN 1 (BIRG1), negatively influences grain size in rice (Oryza sativa L.). BIRG1 is highly expressed in reproductive organs and roots. In birg1 grain, the outer parenchyma layer cells of spikelet hulls are larger than in wild-type (WT) grains, but the cell number is unaltered. When expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, BIRG1 exhibits chloride efflux activity. Consistent with this role of BIRG1, the birg1 mutant shows reduced tolerance to salt stress at a toxic chloride level. Moreover, grains from birg1 plants contain a higher level of chloride than those of WT plants when grown under normal paddy field conditions, and the roots of birg1 accumulate more chloride than those of WT under saline conditions. Collectively, the data suggest that BIRG1 in rice functions as a chloride efflux transporter that is involved in mediating grain size and salt tolerance by controlling chloride homeostasis.     

Genomes of 12 fig wasps provide insights into the adaptation of pollinators to fig syconia

Figs and fig pollinators are one of the few classic textbook examples of obligate pollination mutualism. The specific dependence of fig pollinators on the relatively safe living environment with sufficient food sources in the enclosed fig syconia implies that they are vulnerable to habitat changes. However, there is still no extensive genomic evidence to reveal the evolutionary footprint of this long-term mutually beneficial symbiosis in fig pollinators. In fig syconia, there are also non-pollinator species. The non-pollinator species differ in their evolutionary and life histories from pollinators. We conducted comparative analyses on 11 newly sequenced fig wasp genomes and one previously published genome. The pollinators colonized the figs approximately 66.9 million years ago, consistent with the origin of host figs. Compared with nonpollinators, many more genes in pollinators were subject to relaxed selection. Seven genes were absent in pollinators in response to environmental stress and immune activation. Pollinators had more streamlined gene repertoires in the innate immune system, chemosensory toolbox, and detoxification system. Our results provide genomic evidence for the differentiation between pollinators and nonpollinators. The data suggest that owing to the long-term adaptation to the fig, some genes related to functions no longer required are absent in pollinators.     

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of hydroxychloroquine in comparison with chloroquine in moderate and severe patients with COVID-19

Science China Life Sciences -     

Molecular deconvolution of the neutralizing antibodies induced by an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virus vaccine

Dear Editor, The rapid emergence and persistence of the pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) has had enormous impacts on global health and the economy.Effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 are urgently needed to control the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) pandemic,and multiple vaccines have been found to be efficacious in preventing symptomatic COVID-19(Polack et al.,2020;Wu et al.,2020;Jones and Roy,2021).We have developed a traditional beta-propiolactone-inacti-vated aluminum hydroxide-adjuvanted whole-virion SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (BBIBP-CorV),which elicited protective immune responses in clinical trials (Wang et al.,2020;Xia et al.,2021).The vaccine has been granted conditional approvals or emergency use authorizations (EUAs) in China and other countries.     

Genetic tracing of HCoV-19 for the re-emerging outbreak of COVID-19 in Beijing,China

The ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2,also named as 2019-nCoV or HCoV-19)poses an unprecedented threat to public health(Zhu et al.,2020;Wang et al.,2020;Jiang et al.,2020).The novel HCoV-19 virus has rapidly spread into multiple countries across the world since it was first reported in December 2019.The World Health Organization(WHO)declared COVID-19 as a pandemic on 11th March 2020.As of 4th July,over 10 million confirmed COVID-19 cases have been reported in over 200 countries/regions with more than 0.5 million deaths,including 85,287 documented cases and 4,648 deaths in China(WHO,2020a).