Selenium nanovirus and its cytotoxicity in selenite-exposed higher living organisms

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient in living organisms, having a narrow margin between essential and potentially toxic intake/exposure. Thus, the biochemistry of Se in living organisms must be studied in-depth to determine the underlying mechanism of Se cytotoxicity. In this study, we report the emergence of selenium nanovirus (SeNVs) in selenite-exposed fish (freshwater and saltwater) and plants (dryland) and its toxicity in them. SeNVs were found in both the abdomen and tail of Oryzias melastigma and saltwater Rhodeus ocellatus, which led to their death. The occurrence of the intracellular assembly of SeNVs was observed in the roots and leaves of corn Zea mays, but not in those of Limnobium laevigatum. SeNVs led to the death of Z. mays but caused chronic toxicity in L. laevigatum. SeNVs should be a system or structure that dissipates the intracellular redox gradients of the host cells, with simple information consisting Se–O, Se–N, or Se–S bond, that would ensure elemental Se ligand binding with nearly specific biomolecules in host cells, thereby maintaining their composition and stabilizing their structure. The multiple toxic effects of Se, therefore, could be the consequence of increase of entropy in the host cells caused by the intracellular assembly of SeNVs. This study may provide an insight into the underlying mechanism of Se in environmental toxicology and its applications in human health.     

织金洞钟乳石沉积物表面可培养细菌多样性和网络分析

【背景】洞穴环境中蕴含丰富而独特的细菌资源,对洞穴环境中细菌的分离培养有助于了解洞穴细菌多样性及细菌资源的挖掘和利用。【目的】利用不同培养基分离细菌,探究钟乳石表面可培养细菌的多样性及其种间互作关系。【方法】通过11种培养基对织金洞内钟乳石沉积物表面的细菌进行分离纯化,并利用16S rRNA基因序列分析初步确定分离菌株的分类地位。在R软件下,通过Bipartite包分析可培养细菌属间的相互作用。【结果】从钟乳石沉积物表面共分离出206株细菌,它们隶属于4门25属45种,香农(Shannon)指数为4.78,辛普森(Simpson)指数为0.95。变形菌门(Proteobacteria)和芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)分别为样品中可培养细菌的优势门(47.09%)和优势属(29.61%)。无机寡营养培养基有助于洞穴钟乳石沉积物细菌的分离。属水平-采样点网络分析表明,可培养细菌分布具有非随机、显著的嵌套性。芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)、德沃斯氏菌属(Devosia)、产碱杆菌属(Alcaligenes)、节杆菌属(Arthrobacter)和短杆菌属(Brevibacterium)在细菌群落中存在较多的有效合作值(Effective Partners)和亲密度(Closeness),被其他细菌所依赖程度(Species Strength)较高,是该群落中的重要组成类群。【结论】织金洞内钟乳石沉积物表面存在丰富的细菌资源,分析细菌类群在群落中的作用应结合细菌相对丰度和网络分析。     

Proteiniclasticum sediminis sp. nov., an obligate anaerobic bacterium isolated from anaerobic sludge

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek - An obligate anaerobic bacterial BAD-10 T was isolated from anaerobic acetochlor-degrading sludge. The strain was Gram-stain negative, curved rod-shaped,...     

A Multicenter Study of Viral Aetiology of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Hospitalized Children in Chinese Mainland

Virologica Sinica - Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide. In this study, we aimed to describe the aetiology of viral...     

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.     

Differences between species in seed bank and vegetation helps to hold functional diversity in a floodable Neotropical savanna

种子库和植被物种之间的差异有助于保持新热带稀树草原的功能多样性 本研究的目的是量化种子库和建立的植被对物种组成、功能组成和多样性的贡献,并讨论这些差异对冲积平原植物群落更新和稳定性的影响。我们在巴西潘塔纳尔湿地的一个周期性洪水泛滥的稀树大草原上,在旱季和雨季对分布在5个地点的25个地块(10 m × 1 m)的1.5 m高度的地面覆盖植被和种子库进行了采样。采用出苗法对土壤种子库进行了评价。研究结果表明,种子库物种具有赋予群落更新的特征,而植被则具有稳定性特征。种子库的功能丰富度高于植被,而功能均匀度则低于植被。由于种子库和植被的植物特征不同,使得具有不同功能稳定性和更新特性的物种得以共存,这将有助于维持植物的功能多样性。这可能会让植物种群在应对干旱、火灾和洪水等不同的环境选择时更具有弹性。