Ptk2b deletion improves mice folliculogenesis and fecundity via inhibiting follicle loss mediated by Erk pathway

Ptk2b has been found playing critical roles in oocyte maturation and subsequent fertilization in vitro. But what is the exact in vivo function in reproduction still elusive. Here, by constructing Ptk2b mutant mice, we found Ptk2b was not essential for mice fertility, unexpectedly, contrary to previously reported in vitro findings, we found Ptk2b ablation significantly improved female fecundity. Follicle counting indicated that the number of primordial follicles and growing follicles in matured mice was significantly increased in the absence of Ptk2b, whereas the primordial follicle formation showed no defects. We also found this regulation was in an autophosphorylation independent pathway, as autophosphorylation site mutant mice (PTK2B^Y402F) show no phenotype in female fertility. Further biochemistry studies revealed that Ptk2b ablation promotes folliculogenesis via Erk pathway mediate follicle survival. Together, we found a novel biological function of Ptk2b in folliculogenesis, which could be potentially used as a therapeutic target for corresponding infertility.     

Sox11基因对发育期小鼠大脑皮层神经元迁移的影响

目的: 以小鼠为实验动物研究精神分裂症易感基因Sox11对皮层神经元迁移的影响。方法: 应用实时荧光定量PCR、原位杂交等技术明确发育期 (E14.5, P0, P7, P14) Sox11于大脑皮层的表达模式;应用质粒构建、转染、胚胎电转、免疫荧光染色等技术,对不同时期 (E17.5, P0, P4, P7) 的小鼠分别转染对照shRNA质粒、mSox11 shRNA质粒和mSox11 shRNA干扰恢复后质粒,研究Sox11在神经元放射性迁移中的作用。结果: 与对照组神经元相比,转染mSox11 shRNA的神经元迁移明显延迟。当对照组神经元有一部分已经到达新皮层的表层时,大部分转染mSox11 shRNA的神经元仍停留在新皮层中间区;使用大鼠Sox11基因 (rSox11) 过表达载体对小鼠Sox11基因的干扰进行恢复后,神经元迁移完成后的分布情况与对照基本一致。小鼠Sox11干扰后和干扰恢复后,室管膜下区 (SVZ)、中间区 (IZ) 和皮层板 (CP) 内迁移神经元分布具有显著性差异 (P＜0.01)。结论: Sox11可以促进皮层神经元的迁移,提示Sox11在小鼠皮层神经元迁移过程中发挥重要功能。     

A Self-Biomineralized Novel Adenovirus Vectored COVID-19 Vaccine for Boosting Immunization of Mice

Virologica Sinica - SARS-CoV-2 has caused more than 3.8 million deaths worldwide, and several types of COVID-19 vaccines are urgently approved for use, including adenovirus vectored vaccines....     

采用数据挖掘技术对湖北省人类狂犬病开展生物信息学研究

狂犬病作为一种急性人畜共患疾病,其致死率接近100%。而湖北省作为我国中部狂犬病高发地之一,开展该省狂犬病的流行病学调查不仅有助于了解我国当前面临的狂犬病疫情风险,还能为当地及全国狂犬病防控工作提供有效的参考意见。首先运用描述性分析发现湖北省狂犬病发病人数随时间呈下降趋势,而狂犬病暴露人数则呈上升趋势,且近年来中西部地区狂犬病发病人数较东部地区略为突出,而男性狂犬病发病人数明显多于女性,且中老年群体感染人数多。同时,利用时间序列方法对狂犬病发病与暴露人数的时间序列数据予以分析,证实二者存在季节周期性且具有一定互相关性。研究所构建的风险模型预测未来三年狂犬病发病人数呈稳定趋势,但狂犬病暴露人数却会增加。然后,通过面板回归与差异显著性分析,发现湖北省的狂犬病年发病人数受到人口、GDP、气温和降水的综合影响,且不同海拔和坡度地区的狂犬病发病人数具有显著性差异。最后,讨论了研究存在的局限性以及未来的研究方向。     

The function and regulation of TET2 in innate immunity and inflammation

TET2,a member of ten-eleven translocation(TET)family as a-ketoglutarate-and Fe2+-dependent dioxygenase catalyzing the iterative oxidation of 5-methylcytosine(5mC),has been widely recognized to be an important regulator for normal hematopoiesis especially myelopoiesis.Mutation and dysregulation of TET2 contribute to the development of multiple hematological malignancies.Recent studies reveal that TET2 also plays an important role in innate immune homeostasis by promoting DNA demethylation or independent of its enzymatic activity.Here,we focus on the functions of TET2 in the initiation and resolution of inflammation through epigenetic regulation and signaling network.In addition,we highlight regulation of TET2 at various molecular levels as well as the correlated inflammatory diseases,which will provide the insight to intervene in the pathological process caused by TET2 dysregulation.     

Breast milk contains probiotics with anti-infantile diarrhoea effects that may protect infants as they change to solid foods

Infants often experience complementary food-induced diarrhoea (CFID), which occurs when infants switch from breast milk to solid foods. The relative abundances of Prevotella and Rothia were higher in stools of infants with CFID, while the relative abundances of Enterococcus and Escherichia were higher in healthy infants. The abundance of Lactobacillus spp. normally found in breast milk fed to infants with CFID was significantly reduced, and Enterococcus spp. were less abundant when diarrhoea occurred. Furthermore, Lactobacillus and Enterococcus were present as shared bacteria in both mother and infant, and they were considered potential anti-CFID probiotics as their relative abundances in breast milk were negatively correlated to infant CFID. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) functional analysis showed that the function of amino acid metabolism differed between infants with CFID and healthy infants. Therefore, CFID might be related to the decomposition of proteins in food supplements. The screening revealed seven hydrolytic casein and five hydrolytic casein and rice protein isolates from 320 suspected Lactobacillus and Enterococcus isolates. The animal experiments demonstrated that a mixture of five isolates effectively hydrolysed the casein and rice protein and prevented diarrhoea in young rats. Thus, the occurrence of CFID was found to be closely related to the intestinal and breast milk microbiota, and bacteria that could assist in the digestion of cereal proteins were involved in CFID.     

格氏栲天然林林窗植物物种多样性与系统发育多样性

林窗环境异质性导致群落物种多样性与系统发育多样性(phylogenetic diversity, PD)存在差异, 研究不同大小的林窗中群落的物种多样性与系统发育多样性有助于揭示林下生物多样性的形成及维持机制。本文以格氏栲(Castanopsis kawakamii)天然林为研究对象, 通过Pearson相关性分析与广义线性模型探讨了林窗内物种多样性与系统发育多样性间的相互关系及其环境影响因素。结果表明: (1)大林窗(面积 > 200 m²)植物种类及多度均高于中林窗(50 m² ≤ 面积 < 100 m²)、小林窗(30 m² ≤ 面积 < 50 m²)和非林窗(面积 = 100 m²)。大林窗群落系统发育结构趋于发散, 中、小林窗和非林窗群落系统发育结构受到生境过滤和竞争排斥综合作用。(2)群落系统发育多样性指数与物种丰富度(species richness, SR)、Margalef丰富度指数和Shannon-Wiener指数均呈显著正相关, 这与林窗内稀有种种类组成多于优势种有关。(3)林窗面积对物种多样性存在显著正效应; 土壤全氮含量对系统发育多样性和系统发育结构存在显著正效应。林窗形成提高了格氏栲天然林群落物种多样性和系统发育多样性, 林窗面积与土壤全氮共同驱动了格氏栲天然林林窗物种多样性和系统发育多样性的变化。     

禾谷镰刀菌蛋白激酶研究进展

由禾谷镰刀菌引起的小麦赤霉病是小麦生产最重要的真菌病害之一,除了造成严重的产量损失外,其病原菌还会产生多种真菌毒素危害人畜健康。蛋白激酶在禾谷镰刀菌生长发育、植物侵染和胁迫应答等方面具有重要作用。综述了禾谷镰刀菌主要蛋白激酶在生物学功能和分子作用机制等方面的研究进展,并对未来禾谷镰刀菌蛋白激酶的研究趋势进行了展望,以期为今后禾谷镰刀菌蛋白激酶的研究与小麦赤霉病的防治提供理论参考。