The Bio3D packages for structural bioinformatics

Bio3D is a family of R packages for the analysis of biomolecular sequence, structure, and dynamics. Major functionality includes biomolecular database searching and retrieval, sequence and structure conservation analysis, ensemble normal mode analysis, protein structure and correlation network analysis, principal component, and related multivariate analysis methods. Here, we review recent package developments, including a new underlying segregation into separate packages for distinct analysis, and introduce a new method for structure analysis named ensemble difference distance matrix analysis (eDDM). The eDDM approach calculates and compares atomic distance matrices across large sets of homologous atomic structures to help identify the residue wise determinants underlying specific functional processes. An eDDM workflow is detailed along with an example application to a large protein family. As a new member of the Bio3D family, the Bio3D‐eddm package supports both experimental and theoretical simulation‐generated structures, is integrated with other methods for dissecting sequence‐structure–function relationships, and can be used in a highly automated and reproducible manner. Bio3D is distributed as an integrated set of platform independent open source R packages available from: http://thegrantlab.org/bio3d/ .     

北京城市蝴蝶蜜源植物网络特征及重要蜜源植物识别

物种间相互作用网络研究能为物种多样性的保护、城市生态系统稳定性的维持提供指导。基于群落水平的城市蝴蝶蜜源植物互作网络的研究较少,对城市蝴蝶蜜源网络结构缺乏深入认识。研究在国内城市生态系统中构建蝴蝶蜜源网络,并探讨不同类型植物对网络特征的影响。2020年6-9月,在北京26个城市公园中记录访花蝴蝶和蜜源植物物种及互作频次,采用交互多样性（ID）、交互均匀性（IE）、专业化程度（H2''）定量化生态网络结构特征,采用Kruskal-Wallis秩和检验和变差分解分析不同生长型、起源、栽培方式的植物类型对网络结构的影响差异。采用物种的伙伴多样性（PD）和专业化程度（d''）识别重要蜜源植物。研究结果表明：（1）北京城市公园中22种蝴蝶与81种开花植物的交互作用,形成趋于泛化的生态网络结构;（2）不同生长型及不同起源的植物-蝴蝶网络的交互多样性及专业化程度有显著差异,草本及乡土植物对丰富网络中交互多样性和支持专业性更高的蝴蝶物种具重要作用,而植物的栽培方式对蜜源网络结构影响较小;（3）伙伴多样性高且专业化程度高的植物可被视为重要蜜源植物。基于蝴蝶多样性保护的目标,在城市生态系统中,绿色空间应注重构建乡土草本植物群落,优先选择重要蜜源植物。我们的发现印证了蝴蝶-蜜源植物生态网络方法作为联结生态研究和城市绿地实践管理的有效工具,能为城市生态系统中生物多样性保护提供科学策略,具有重要意义。     

基于残差注意力网络模型的浮游植物识别

浮游植物作为水生态系统中最重要的生物组成部分之一,对水环境敏感,在水环境监测中得到了广泛的关注。然而水生环境复杂多样,准确高效地识别浮游植物是监测工作中的一大挑战。当前浮游植物识别方法可分为经典形态学分类、分子标记和人工智能图像识别三类。前两种方法已被广泛采用,但费时费力,不利于监测机构的大规模应用和推广。同样,利用图像进行自动化分类难以在高准确率与高效率上达到平衡。深度学习技术的发展为此提供了新思路。本文提出一种新的深度卷积神经网络RAN-11。该网络以残差注意力网络Attention-56和Attention-92为基础,凭借通道对齐融合主干上的底层特征与顶层特征,通过调整注意力模块和残差快个数以精简结构,并引入了Leaky ReLU激活函数代替ReLU。以太湖11个优势属共计1036张图像为数据来源进行对比验证。除星杆藻外,RAN-11对单一优势属的的查准率都在90%以上,并且有5个优势属达到100%的查准率。RAN-11的识别准确率为95.67%,推理速率为41.5帧/s,不仅比Attention-92（95.19%的准确率,23.6帧/s）更准确,而且比Attention-56（94.71%的准确率,41.2帧/s）更快,真正兼顾了准确率与效率。研究结果表明：（1）RAN-11在查准率、准确率和推理速率上优于原始残差注意力网络,更优于以词包模型为代表的传统图像识别方法;（2）融合多尺度特征、精简网络结构和优化激活函数是提高卷积神经网络性能的有力手段。建立在经典分类基础之上,本文提出新的残差注意力网络来提升浮游植物鉴定技术,并构建出浮游植物自动化识别系统,识别准确率高、易于推广,对于实现水体中浮游植物的自动化监测具有重要意义。     

Strategic Habitat Conservation for Beach Mice: Estimating Management Scenario Efficiencies

The Perdido Key beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis), Choctawhatchee beach mouse (P. p. allophrys), and St. Andrew beach mouse (P. p. peninsularis) are 3 federally endangered subspecies that inhabit coastal dunes of Alabama and Florida, USA. Conservation opportunities for these subspecies are limited and costly. Consequently, well-targeted efforts are required to achieve their downlisting criteria. To aid the development of targeted management scenarios that are designed to achieve downlisting criteria, we developed a Bayesian network model that uses habitat characteristics to predict the probability of beach mouse presence at a 30-m resolution across a portion of the Florida Panhandle. We then designed alternative management scenarios for a variety of habitat conditions for coastal dunes. Finally, we estimated how much area is needed to achieve the established downlisting criterion (i.e., habitat objective) and the amount of effort needed to achieve the habitat objective (i.e., management efficiency). The results suggest that after 7 years of post-storm recolonization, habitat objectives were met for Perdido Key (within its Florida critical habitat) and Choctawhatchee beach mice. The St. Andrew beach mouse required 5.14 km² of additional critical habitat to be protected and occupied. The St. Andrew beach mouse habitat objective might be achieved by first restoring protected critical habitat to good dune conditions and then protecting or restoring the unprotected critical habitat with the highest predicted probability of beach mouse presence. This scenario provided a 28% increase in management efficiency compared to a scenario that randomly protected or restored undeveloped unprotected critical habitat. In total, when coupled with established downlisting criteria, these quantitative and spatial decision support tools could provide insight into how much habitat is available, how much more is needed, and targeted conservation or restoration efforts that might efficiently achieve habitat objectives. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.     

Socially Defined Subpopulations Reveal Demographic Variation in a Giraffe Metapopulation

Populations are typically defined as spatially contiguous sets of individuals, but large populations of social species can be composed of discrete social communities that often overlap in space. Masai giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) of Tanzania live in distinct social subpopulations that overlap spatially, enabling us to simultaneously explore environmental and social factors correlated with demographic variation in a metapopulation of >1,400 adult females and calves. We considered statistically distinct communities in the social network as subpopulations and tested for variation among the 10 subpopulations in adult female survival, calf survival, and reproductive rate (calf-to-adult female ratio). We then related variation in demographic rates among subpopulations to differences in vegetation, soil type, proximity to 2 types of human settlements, local giraffe population density, and social metrics of relationship strength and exclusivity among adult females. We did not find any among-subpopulation effects on adult female survival, suggesting adult female survival is buffered against environmental heterogeneity among subpopulations. Variation in calf demographic rates among subpopulations were correlated with vegetation, soils, anthropogenic factors, and giraffe population density but not with adult female relationship metrics, despite substantial spatial overlap. Subpopulations with more dense bushlands in their ranges had lower calf survival probabilities, and those closer to human settlements had higher reproductive rates, possibly because of spatial gradients in natural predation. Reproductive rates were higher in subpopulations with more volcanic soils, and calf survival probabilities were greater in subpopulations with higher local adult female densities, possibly related to higher-quality habitat associated with fertile soils or lower predation risk, or to greater competitive ability. The variation in fitness among subpopulations suggests that giraffes do not move unhindered among resource patches to equalize reproductive success, as expected according to an ideal free distribution. The differences in calf survival and reproductive rates could rather indicate intercommunity differences in competitive ability, perception, learning, or experience. Our approach of comparing demography among spatially overlapping yet distinct socially defined subpopulations provides a biologically meaningful way to quantify environmental and social factors influencing fine-scale demographic variation for social species. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.     

基于网络药理学探讨“黄芪-白术-熟地黄”组方防治肾病综合征的作用机制

本研究旨在通过网络药理学方法和分子对接技术探讨黄芪-白术-熟地黄组方(HBS)治疗肾病综合征的作用机制。通过多个数据库获取肾病综合征基因并进行功能模块分解,找出肾病综合征基因参与的主要生物学过程。通过文献以及数据库查找HBS活性成分和基因靶点,筛选出HBS治疗肾病综合征的有效靶点。通过有效靶点的KEGG和GO富集分析,找出其参与的主要生物学过程和信号通路,并以此构建靶点-生物功能(TF)网络和靶点-信号通路(TP)网络,综合分析后得到HBS治疗肾病综合征的机制网络,最后使用分子对接技术将HBS化合物和关键靶蛋白进行对接验证。肾病综合征基因主要与细胞增殖、凋亡以及肾脏发育有关。共筛选出18个有效靶点,有效靶点主要与免疫反应、炎症反应、细胞增殖和凋亡的调节有关,主要富集在IL-17、NF-κB、PI3K/Akt、FoxO、p53和Jak/STAT等信号通路上,这些信号通路是HBS调节免疫反应、炎症反应、细胞增殖和凋亡的主要途径。此外,分子对接结果证实HBS化合物与TGFβ1、PTGS2、IL1B、IL2、IL4、IL10、TNF和CD40LG等炎性细胞因子具有较好的结合活性。本研究表明HBS调控IL-17、NF-κB、PI3K/Akt、FoxO、p53和Jak/STAT信号通路上关键蛋白的表达,可能通过调节免疫反应和炎症反应,改善系膜细胞和足细胞的增殖、凋亡水平,进而对包括蛋白尿和肾小球硬化在内的肾病综合征病理改变发挥治疗作用。