Genotype by environment interaction in response to cold stress in a composite beef cattle breed

Extreme weather conditions such as cold stress influence the productivity and survivability of beef cattle raised on pasture. The objective of this study was to identify and evaluate the extent of the impact of genotype by environment interaction due to cold stress on birth weight (BW) and weaning weight (WW) in a composite beef cattle population. The effect of cold stress was modelled as the accumulation of total cold load (TCL) calculated using the Comprehensive Climate Index units, considering three TCL classes defined based on temperature: less than −5°C (TCL5), −15°C (TCL15) and −25°C (TCL25). A total of 4221 and 4217 records for BW and WW, respectively, were used from a composite beef cattle population (50% Red Angus, 25% Charolais and 25% Tarentaise) between 2002 and 2015. For both BW and WW, a univariate model (ignoring cold stress) and a reaction norm model were implemented. As cold load increased, the direct heritability slightly increased in both BW and WW for TCL5 class; however, this heritability remained consistent across the cold load of TCL25 class. In contrast, the maternal heritability of BW was constant with cold load increase in all TCL classes, although a slight increase of maternal heritability was observed for TCL5 and TCL15. The direct and maternal genetic correlation for BW and maternal genetic correlation for WW across different cold loads between all TCL classes were high (r > 0.99), whereas the lowest direct genetic correlations observed for WW were 0.88 for TCL5 and 0.85 for TCL15. The Spearman rank correlation between the estimated breeding value of top bulls (n = 79) using univariate and reaction norm models across TCL classes showed some re-ranking in direct and maternal effects for both BW and WW particularly for TCL5 and TCL15. In general, cold stress did not have a big impact on direct and maternal genetic effects of BW and WW.     

A chromosome‐level genome assembly reveals the genetic basis of cold tolerance in a notorious rice insect pest,Chilo suppressalis

The rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis, is one of the most damaging insect pests to rice production worldwide. Although C. suppressalis has been the focus of numerous studies examining cold tolerance and diapause, plant–insect interactions, pesticide targets and resistance, and the development of RNAi‐mediated pest management, the absence of a high‐quality genome has limited deeper insights. To address this limitation, we generated a draft C. suppressalis genome constructed from both Illumina and PacBio sequences. The assembled genome size was 824.35 Mb with a contig N₅₀ of 307 kb and a scaffold N₅₀ of 1.75 Mb. Hi‐C scaffolding assigned 99.2% of the bases to one of 29 chromosomes. Based on universal single‐copy orthologues (BUSCO), the draft genome assembly was estimated to be 97% complete and is predicted to encompass 15,653 protein‐coding genes. Cold tolerance is an extreme survival strategy found in animals. However, little is known regarding the genetic basis of the winter ecology of C. suppressalis. Here, we focused our orthologous analysis on those gene families associated with animal cold tolerance. Our finding provided the first genomic evidence revealing specific cold‐tolerant strategies in C. suppressalis, including those involved in glucose‐originated glycerol biosynthesis, triacylglycerol‐originated glycerol biosynthesis, fatty acid synthesis and trehalose transport‐intermediate cold tolerance. The high‐quality C. suppressalis genome provides a valuable resource for research into a broad range of areas in molecular ecology, and subsequently benefits developing modern pest control strategies.     

纳米二氧化硅复合寒冷对A549细胞毒性及其炎性因子分泌的影响*

目的: 本研究旨在探讨纳米二氧化硅(Nano-SiO₂)颗粒和寒冷复合对人肺腺癌上皮细胞A549细胞毒性及炎性因子分泌的影响。方法: 本研究以A549细胞为实验对象,分别用10, 50, 100, 200 μg/ml Nano-SiO₂颗粒对A549细胞染毒,以及分别在35℃,33℃,31℃条件下对A549细胞进行低温暴露,培养48 h后,观察细胞形态及测定细胞相对存活率。根据单因素分析结果,选出对A549细胞相对存活率有显著降低作用的Nano-SiO₂剂量和温度的基础上,按照2×2析因设计实验,分为4组:①37℃对照组;②Nano-SiO₂染毒组;③低温暴露组;④Nano-SiO₂和低温复合组,不同条件下暴露48 h后,收集细胞上清液采用比色法检测LDH活性,以及ELISA法测定细胞因子白介素-6(IL-6)和白介素-8(IL-8)的水平,采用qRT-PCR法检测细胞IL-6和IL-8的基因表达水平。结果: 100 μg/ml Nano-SiO₂组和31℃低温组能够显著降低A549细胞活性(P＜0.01),在复合条件作用下对A549细胞活性抑制最为显著,且炎性因子IL-6和IL-8及mRNA的表达水平均显著升高(P＜0.01)。结论: 100 μg/ml Nano-SiO₂与31℃低温复合暴露可协同降低A549细胞的相对存活率,增加炎性因子IL-6和IL-8表达水平。     

蝴蝶兰PhNAC1基因序列分析及对低温胁迫的响应

为探讨NAC转录因子在蝴蝶兰低温胁迫响应中的分子调控机理,该研究以蝴蝶兰的叶片为材料,运用RT-PCR及RACE技术克隆得到一条蝴蝶兰的NAC转录因子基因完整的cDNA序列,命名为PhNAC1(GenBank登录号MF797909),并分析了其在两种低温条件下的表达模式。结果表明:PhNAC1基因cDNA序列全长1 442 bp,ORF全长942 bp,编码313个氨基酸。预测其蛋白分子量为35.22 kDa,等电点为6.95,属于稳定亲水性蛋白。二级结构预测表明,无规则卷曲和延伸链为该蛋白的主要结构元件,与三级结构预测结果基本相符。PhNAC1编码的氨基酸序列与其他已登录的兰科植物NAC蛋白进行同源序列比对,表明与小兰屿蝴蝶兰(XP_0205763790)亲缘关系较近,序列一致性达97%,其次为铁皮石斛(XP_020695081),一致性为84%。实时荧光定量PCR分析表明,PhNAC1基因在营养器官和生殖器官中均有表达,在蕊柱中的表达量最高。在11℃/6℃低温条件下,PhNAC1基因的转录表达水平在前5天随着处理时间逐渐升高,到第7天开始下降;在4℃低温条件下,PhNAC1基因的表达水平在处理0.5 h时表达量有所下降,1 h后表达量上升至对照水平,之后无明显变化,在处理24至48 h又逐渐升高,推测PhNAC1基因参与蝴蝶兰低温胁迫响应。     

A calcium‐mediated actin redistribution at egg activation in Drosophila

Egg activation is the essential process in which mature oocytes gain the competency to proceed into embryonic development. Many events of egg activation are conserved, including an initial rise of intracellular calcium. In some species, such as echinoderms and mammals, changes in the actin cytoskeleton occur around the time of fertilization and egg activation. However, the interplay between calcium and actin during egg activation remains unclear. Here, we use imaging, genetics, pharmacological treatment, and physical manipulation to elucidate the relationship between calcium and actin in living Drosophila eggs. We show that, before egg activation, actin is smoothly distributed between ridges in the cortex of the dehydrated mature oocytes. At the onset of egg activation, we observe actin spreading out as the egg swells though the intake of fluid. We show that a relaxed actin cytoskeleton is required for the intracellular rise of calcium to initiate and propagate. Once the swelling is complete and the calcium wave is traversing the egg, it leads to a reorganization of actin in a wavelike manner. After the calcium wave, the actin cytoskeleton has an even distribution of foci at the cortex. Together, our data show that calcium resets the actin cytoskeleton at egg activation, a model that we propose to be likely conserved in other species.     

生菜种子低温处理后耐冻性和脂肪酸合成代谢的关系研究

以生菜(Lactuca sativa)种子为研究对象,通过不同时间的吸水处理分析其含水量变化,再通过程序降温处理,分析不同含水量种子发芽率的差异,以及脂肪酸合成有关基因(FAD2、FAD3、PPT、ELOVL)和冷调节基因ICE1的表达。结果表明,种子含水量随吸水时间增加而升高。程序降温至同样的低温冷冻条件下(-20℃、-22℃),吸水时间小于6 h的种子发芽率较高,而吸水8 h以上的种子发芽率显著降低。种子吸水8 h含水量处于饱和状态,在此状态下种子对低温较为敏感,说明含水量对种子耐冻性有影响。冷冻处理后生菜种子基因表达检测结果表明,脂肪酸去饱和酶基因(FAD2、FAD3)、蛋白质棕榈酰基硫脂酶相关基因(PPT）、长链脂肪酸延伸酶相关基因(ELOVL)的表达水平均随着种子含水量增加呈上升趋势,吸胀10 h的种子表达量最高,此时种子由于高含水量所受冷冻伤害最大。基因ICE1在冷冻处理种子中的表达也随着吸水时间增加而升高,在吸水10 h时种子中表达量到最高水平。综上,种子含水量越高,所受冷冻伤害越大。但种子在低温条件下具有一定的抗冷反应,可通过相关基因的过表达调控合成更多不饱和脂肪酸、抗冻蛋白等提高含水种子耐冻性。     

Cold shock proteins improve E. coli cell-free synthesis in terms of soluble yields of aggregation-prone proteins

Protein folding is usually slowed-down at low temperatures, and thus low-temperature expression is an effective strategy to improve the soluble yield of aggregation-prone proteins. In this study, we investigated the effects of a variety of cold shock proteins and domains (Csps) on an Escherichia coli cell extract-based cell-free protein synthesis system (CF). Most of the 12 Csps that were successfully prepared dramatically improved the protein yields, by factors of more than 5 at 16°C and 2 at 23°C, to levels comparable to those obtained at 30°C. Their stimulatory effects were complementary to each other, while CspD and CspH were inhibitory. The Csps’ effects correlated well with their Pfam CSD family scores (PF00313.22). All of the investigated Csps, except CspH, similarly possessed RNA binding and chaperon activities and increased the messenger RNA amount irrespective of their effect, suggesting that the proper balance between these activities was required for the enhancement. Unexpectedly, the 5′-untranslated region of cspA was less effective as the leader sequence. Our results demonstrated that the use of the Csps presented in this study will provide a simple and highly effective strategy for the CF, to improve the soluble yields of aggregation-prone proteins.     

Adverse responses of Cabera pusaria caterpillars to high dietary manganese concentration

The adaptation of insects to environmental changes can constitute a crucial factor in their development and activity. The response of Cabera pusaria L. (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) caterpillars to high manganese (Mn) concentrations in the diet was studied. Birch leaves were treated by dipping in MnCl₂·4H₂O solutions, thereby achieving Mn contents of 370 (T0), 695 (T1), 3 198 (T2), and 6 302 mg kg⁻¹ (T3). The reactions were determined by observing caterpillar mortality, development time, food consumption, and pupal weight. Manganese concentrations in larval excrement, pupae, and food were determined. Manganese in the diet at unnaturally increased concentrations caused great stress for caterpillars. All individuals in the treatment with the highest Mn concentration (T3) died during rearing and successful pupation occurred in only four individuals in T2. Even in the case of caterpillars from T1 (twofold higher than T0) a negative reaction (increased food consumption and prolonged development) was recorded. We also determined significantly increased Mn concentration in pupae from T1 (T2 and T3 were not included in this evaluation due to mortality) and excrement (T1‒T3) compared with T0 having a natural Mn concentration. Caterpillars were seen to eliminate negatively acting dietary Mn by its translocation to excrement. However, the highest mortality rate in T2 and T3 and negative reactions of individuals in T1 very likely demonstrate energy insufficiency and the high energy requirements of Mn elimination mechanisms.     

Resilience to Freezing in the Vegetative Cells of the Microalga Lobosphaera incisa (Trebouxiophyceae,Chlorophyta)

The chlorophyte microalga Lobosphaera incisa was isolated from the snowy slopes of Mt. Tateyama in Japan. This microalga stores exceptionally high amounts of the omega-6 LC-PUFA arachidonic acid in triacylglycerols, and therefore represents a potent photosynthetic source for this essential LC-PUFA. Assuming that freezing tolerance may play a role in adaptation of L. incisa to specific ecological niches, we examined the capability of L. incisa to tolerate extreme sub-zero temperatures. We report here, that the vegetative cells of L. incisa survived freezing at −20°C and −80°C (over 1 month), without cryoprotective agents or prior treatments. Cells successfully recovered upon thawing and proliferated under optimal growth conditions (25°C). However, cells frozen at −80°C showed better recovery and lower cellular ROS generation upon thawing, compared to those preserved at −20°C. Photosynthetic yield of PSII, estimated by F_v/F_m, temporarily decreased at day 1 post freezing and resumed to the original level at day 3. Interestingly, the thawed algal cultures produced a higher level of chlorophylls, exceeding the control culture. The polar metabolome of the vegetative cells comprised a range of compatible solutes, dominated by glutamate, sucrose, and proline. We posit that the presence of endogenous cryoprotectants, a rigid multilayer cell wall, the high LC-PUFA content in membrane lipids, and putative cold-responsive proteins may contribute to the retention of functionality upon recovery from the frozen state, and therefore for the survival under cryospheric conditions. From the applied perspective, this beneficial property holds promise for the cryopreservation of starter cultures for research and commercial purposes.     

Diurnal patterns of growth and transient reserves of sink and source tissues are affected by cold nights in barley

Barley is described to mostly use sucrose for night carbon requirements. To understand how the transient carbon is accumulated and utilized in response to cold, barley plants were grown in a combination of cold days and/or nights. Both daytime and night cold reduced growth. Sucrose was the main carbohydrate supplying growth at night, representing 50–60% of the carbon consumed. Under warm days and nights, starch was the second contributor with 26% and malate the third with 15%. Under cold nights, the contribution of starch was severely reduced, due to an inhibition of its synthesis, including under warm days, and malate was the second contributor to C requirements with 24–28% of the total amount of carbon consumed. We propose that malate plays a critical role as an alternative carbon source to sucrose and starch in barley. Hexoses, malate, and sucrose mobilization and starch accumulation were affected in barley elf3 clock mutants, suggesting a clock regulation of their metabolism, without affecting growth and photosynthesis however. Altogether, our data suggest that the mobilization of sucrose and malate and/or barley growth machinery are sensitive to cold.