叉角厉蝽对亚洲玉米螟幼虫的捕食功能反应

叉角厉蝽Eocanthecona furcellata是一种在生物防治方面有重要作用和潜力的捕食性天敌昆虫,为探明叉角厉蝽对亚洲玉米螟Ostrinia furnacalis幼虫的控害潜力,在室内温度26℃±1℃、相对湿度65%±10%、光周期16 L∶8 D条件下,观察了叉角厉蝽4龄、5龄若虫和成虫分别对亚洲玉米螟3龄、4龄幼虫的捕食行为,测定了叉角厉蝽对不同亚洲玉米螟密度下的捕食量、搜寻效应以及自身密度和种间干扰对捕食作用的影响。结果表明,叉角厉蝽对亚洲玉米螟的捕食功能反应符合Holling-Ⅱ功能反应模型,叉角厉蝽3个虫龄对亚洲玉米螟3龄与4龄幼虫的理论最大取食量顺序均为：成虫（30.21头）>5龄若虫（24.69头）>4龄若虫（11.96头）,相同虫龄的叉角厉蝽对亚洲玉米螟3龄幼虫的最大取食量均大于对亚洲玉米螟4龄幼虫的最大取食量。在亚洲玉米螟相同虫龄内,搜寻效应与猎物密度的增加呈负相关。在生存环境和亚洲玉米螟幼虫密度固定的条件下,其平均捕食量和搜寻效应与叉角厉蝽成虫密度的增加呈负相关。叉角厉蝽成虫与亚洲玉米螟幼虫以相同比例增加时,叉角厉蝽成虫种间会产生干扰作用。结果表明了叉角厉蝽对亚洲玉米螟具有较好的控害潜力,为今后高效利用叉角厉蝽田间防治亚洲玉米螟提供了理论依据。     

Structures of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein alert noteworthy sites for the potential approaching variants

Highlights
1 Deletion of residues 156–157 warps the neighboring beta-sheet and leads NTD and RBD to shift.
2 T859N stabilizes the packing of the 630 loop motif to make RBD standing transition more difficult.
3 The overall structures of the closed state S complex from different variants resemble each other.
4 Mutations in FPPR may affect the overall structure of the trimeric spike protein.     

贵州省东方蜜蜂Apis cerana线粒体DNA遗传多样性研究

为探明贵州省东方蜜蜂Apis cerana遗传多样性及遗传分化现状,对贵州省9个地级市79个样点采集的东方蜜蜂样本线粒体DNA (mt DNA) COI-COII序列进行扩增与测序,分析其遗传多样性、遗传结构及亲缘关系。序列结果显示扩增后COI-COII序列长度约为760 bp,A+T平均含量（82.3%）明显高于C+G（17.7%）,碱基偏移性明显。单倍型分析共发现33个单倍型,其中主体单倍型H1为9个地理群体共有。单倍型多样度分析表明平均单倍型多样度为0.802,其中黔南地区最高,遵义地区最低;平均核苷酸多样度为0.014,其中六盘水地区最高,黔西南及安顺地区最低。中性检验结果表明贵州省部分地区东方蜜蜂可能经历过群体扩张。9个地区样点的平均遗传距离介于0.0012~0.0044之间,其中毕节与黔东南地区间最大,为0.0044,安顺与黔南、遵义地区间最小,均为0.0012。在单倍型系统进化树中,79个样点东方蜜蜂可分为两个类群。研究结果为贵州省东方蜜蜂遗传分化研究、种质资源保护与开发利用提供参考依据。     

基于分子标记的入侵陕西草地贪夜蛾种群生物型分析

草地贪夜蛾Spodoptera frugiperda J. E. Smith是一种世界性入侵害虫,为了明确入侵陕西的草地贪夜蛾的种群生物型并了解其发生及扩散规律,本研究对采集自陕西省8个地市180个草地贪夜蛾样本分别进行了基于COI和Tpi分子标记的生物型鉴定。分析发现入侵陕西的草地贪夜蛾84%是水稻型母本与玉米型父本杂交形成的杂合玉米型草地贪夜蛾。COI分子标记的结果显示,样本中水稻型占比为84.44%,玉米型为15.56%;基于Tpi基因片段的结果表明除商洛样本SL-3外,其它样本均为玉米型。值得注意的是,SL-3与非洲特异型序列同源性达100%,此非洲特异单倍型为陕西省内首次、国内第2次出现。本研究为草地贪夜蛾的迁飞扩散规律及早期预警提供了新的理论基础。     

Role of acute-phase protein ORM in a mice model of ischemic stroke

The only Food and Drug Administration-approved treatment for acute ischemic stroke is tissue plasminogen activator, and the discovery of novel therapeutic targets is critical. Here, we found orosomucoid (ORM), an acute-phase protein mainly produced by the liver, might act as a treatment candidate for an ischemic stroke. The results showed that ORM2 is the dominant subtype in mice normal brain tissue. After middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), the level of ORM2 is significantly increased in the ischemic penumbra compared with the contralateral normal brain tissue, whereas ORM1 knockout did not affect the infarct size. Exogenous ORM could significantly decrease infarct size and neurological deficit score. Inspiringly, the best administration time point was at 4.5 and 6 hr after MCAO. ORM could markedly decrease the Evans blue extravasation, and improve blood–brain barrier-associated proteins expression in the ischemic penumbra of MACO mice and oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD)-treated bEnd3 cells. Meanwhile, ORM could significantly alleviate inflammation by inhibiting the production of interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), reduce oxidative stress by improving the balance of malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), inhibit apoptosis by decreasing caspase-3 activity in ischemic penumbra of MCAO mice and OGD-treated bEnd.3 cells. Because of its protective role at multiple levels, ORM might be a promising therapeutic target for ischemic stroke.     

A dynamic reversible RNA N6-methyladenosine modification: current status and perspectives

N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A), as the most abundant RNA epigenetic modifications, has been shown to play critical roles in various biological functions. Research about enzymes that can catalyze and remove m⁶A have revealed its comprehensive roles in messenger RNA (mRNA) metabolism and other physiological processes. The “readers” including YTH domain-containing proteins, hnRNPC, hnRNPG, hnRNPA2B1, IGF2BP1, IGF2BP2, and IGF2BP3, which can affect the fates of mRNA in an m⁶A-dependent manner. In this review, we focus on recent advances in the research of the m⁶A modifications, especially about the latest functions of its writers, erasers, readers in RNA metabolism, cancer, and lipid metabolism. In the end, we provide insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms of m⁶A modifications.     

Helvolic acid attenuates osteoclast formation and function via suppressing RANKL-induced NFATc1 activation

Excessive osteoclast formation and function are considered as the main causes of bone lytic disorders such as osteoporosis and osteolysis. Therefore, the osteoclast is a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of osteoporosis or other osteoclast-related diseases. Helvolic acid (HA), a mycotoxin originally isolated from Aspergillus fumigatus , has been discovered as an effective broad-spectrum antibacterial agent and has a wide range of pharmacological properties. Herein, for the first time, HA was demonstrated to be capable of significantly inhibiting receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption in vitro by suppressing nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFATc1) activation. This inhibition was followed by the dramatically decreased expression of NFATc1-targeted genes including Ctr (encoding calcitonin receptor), Acp5 (encoding tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase [TRAcP]), Ctsk (encoding cathepsin K), Atp6v0d2 (encoding the vacuolar H+ ATPase V0 subunit d2 [V-ATPase-d2]) and Mmp9 (encoding matrix metallopeptidase 9) which are osteoclastic-specific genes required for osteoclast formation and function. Mechanistically, HA was shown to greatly attenuate multiple upstream pathways including extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation, c-Fos signaling, and intracellular Ca ²⁺ oscillation, but had little effect on nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation. In addition, HA also diminished the RANKL-induced generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species. Taken together, our study indicated HA effectively suppressed RANKL-induced osteoclast formation and function. Thus, we propose that HA can be potentially used in the development of a novel drug for osteoclast-related bone diseases.     

贵州剑河寒武系“清虚洞组”管状微体骨骼化石初步研究

华南寒武系地层中广泛富集微体骨骼化石,为解决某些疑难化石的亲缘关系及研究早期后生动物的演化提供了重要化石证据。在贵州剑河八郎"清虚洞组"中发现一些管状微体骨骼化石。经鉴定后主要有4属,分别为小钻孔螺Torellella、似软舌螺Hyolithellus、鞘状螺Coleoloides和表面具鳞片状管状化石Mongolitubulus squamifer。Mongolitubulus分布范围较为广泛,本文结合前人对该化石亲缘关系的探讨及剑河寒武系"清虚洞组"化石的特征,推测M.squamifer可能是高肌虫的装饰刺。     

川西汉源-荥经地区下奥陶统大乘寺组的笔石

对川西汉源-荥经地区CYD2井下奥陶统弗洛阶大乘寺组的笔石进行研究,结果表明Baltograptus deflexus笔石带在这一覆盖区发育良好。CYD2井的该带笔石动物群共含2属5种。根据下垂对笔石类的始端发育型式,修正前人对波罗的笔石属(Baltograptus)和巅峰笔石属(Corymbograptus)内一些种的归属,并对CYD2井的5种笔石进行描述。可能受制于钻心标本的限制,该地区的Baltograptus deflexus带笔石动物群分异度较低。川西汉源-荥经-峨眉山地区的大乘寺组与上覆二叠系梁山组呈假整合接触,表明该地区长期遭受沉积间断和剥蚀作用,B.deflexus带的确定,指示了这一长期剥蚀作用的最大深度。