Unravelling the interactions of the environmental host Acanthamoeba castellanii with fungi through the recognition by mannose‐binding proteins

Free‐living amoebae (FLAs) are major reservoirs for a variety of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The most studied mycophagic FLA, Acanthamoeba castellanii (Ac), is a potential environmental host for endemic fungal pathogens such as Cryptococcus spp., Histoplasma capsulatum, Blastomyces dermatitides, and Sporothrix schenckii. However, the mechanisms involved in this interaction are poorly understood. The aim of this work was to characterize the molecular instances that enable Ac to interact with and ingest fungal pathogens, a process that could lead to selection and maintenance of possible virulence factors. The interaction of Ac with a variety of fungal pathogens was analysed in a multifactorial evaluation that included the role of multiplicity of infection over time. Fungal binding to Ac surface by living image consisted of a quick process, and fungal initial extrusion (vomocytosis) was detected from 15 to 80 min depending on the organism. When these fungi were cocultured with the amoeba, only Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans were able to grow, whereas Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and Sporothrix brasiliensis displayed unchanged viability. Yeasts of H. capsulatum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were rapidly killed by Ac; however, some cells remained viable after 48 hr. To evaluate changes in fungal virulence upon cocultivation with Ac, recovered yeasts were used to infect Galleria mellonella, and in all instances, they killed the larvae faster than control yeasts. Surface biotinylated extracts of Ac exhibited intense fungal binding by FACS and fluorescence microscopy. Binding was also intense to mannose, and mass spectrometry identified Ac proteins with affinity to fungal surfaces including two putative transmembrane mannose‐binding proteins (MBP, L8WXW7 and MBP1, Q6J288). Consistent with interactions with such mannose‐binding proteins, Ac–fungi interactions were inhibited by mannose. These MBPs may be involved in fungal recognition by amoeba and promotes interactions that allow the emergence and maintenance of fungal virulence for animals.     

A novel 3-oxoacyl-ACP reductase (FabG3) is involved in the xanthomonadin biosynthesis of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris

Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc), the causal agent of black rot in crucifers, produces a membrane-bound yellow pigment called xanthomonadin to protect against photobiological and peroxidative damage, and uses a quorum-sensing mechanism mediated by the diffusible signal factor (DSF) family signals to regulate virulence factors production. The Xcc gene XCC4003, annotated as Xcc fabG3, is located in the pig cluster, which may be responsible for xanthomonadin synthesis. We report that fabG3 expression restored the growth of the Escherichia coli fabG temperature-sensitive mutant CL104 under non-permissive conditions. In vitro assays demonstrated that FabG3 catalyses the reduction of 3-oxoacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) intermediates in fatty acid synthetic reactions, although FabG3 had a lower activity than FabG1. Moreover, the fabG3 deletion did not affect growth or fatty acid composition. These results indicate that Xcc fabG3 encodes a 3-oxoacyl-ACP reductase, but is not essential for growth or fatty acid synthesis. However, the Xcc fabG3 knock-out mutant abolished xanthomonadin production, which could be only restored by wild-type fabG3, but not by other 3-oxoacyl-ACP reductase-encoding genes, indicating that Xcc FabG3 is specifically involved in xanthomonadin biosynthesis. Additionally, our study also shows that the Xcc fabG3-disrupted mutant affects Xcc virulence in host plants.     

5,2′‐dibromo‐2,4′,5′‐trihydroxydiphenylmethanone attenuates LPS‐induced inflammation and ROS production in EA.hy926 cells via HMBOX1 induction

Inflammation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important factors in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis (AS). 5,2′‐dibromo‐2,4′,5′‐trihydroxydiphenylmethanone (TDD), possess anti‐atherogenic properties; however, its underlying mechanism of action remains unclear. Therefore, we sought to understand the therapeutic molecular mechanism of TDD in inflammatory response and oxidative stress in EA.hy926 cells. Microarray analysis revealed that the expression of homeobox containing 1 (HMBOX1) was dramatically upregulated in TDD‐treated EA.hy926 cells. According to the gene ontology (GO) analysis of microarray data, TDD significantly influenced the response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS); it suppressed the LPS‐induced adhesion of monocytes to EA.hy926 cells. Simultaneously, TDD dose‐dependently inhibited the production or expression of IL‐6, IL‐1β, MCP‐1, TNF‐α, VCAM‐1, ICAM‐1 and E‐selectin as well as ROS in LPS‐stimulated EA.hy926 cells. HMBOX1 knockdown using RNA interference attenuated the anti‐inflammatory and anti‐oxidative effects of TDD. Furthermore, TDD inhibited LPS‐induced NF‐κB and MAPK activation in EA.hy926 cells, but this effect was abolished by HMBOX1 knockdown. Overall, these results demonstrate that TDD activates HMBOX1, which is an inducible protective mechanism that inhibits LPS‐induced inflammation and ROS production in EA.hy926 cells by the subsequent inhibition of redox‐sensitive NF‐κB and MAPK activation. Our study suggested that TDD may be a potential novel agent for treating endothelial cells dysfunction in AS.     

江永普通野生稻遗传多样性和籼粳基因频率监测分析

以栽培稻的8个籼-粳测验种为对照,采用39对SSR引物检测了江永野生稻居群在1982年、2008年、2017年的遗传多样性,采用38对In Del引物检测了江永野生稻居群在1982年、2008年、2017年的籼-粳基因频率。结果表明:在1982年取样保存在异位圃的40份样本的遗传多样性稍高于2008年、2017年原位保护区样本的遗传多样性;2008年取的样本数虽然比2017年多,但两次取的样本之间遗传多样性几乎没差异。不同年份取的样本之间的遗传分化系数Fst都很小,基因流Nm都较大,分化不明显。通过聚类分析和主坐标分析(PCo A),发现野生稻居群与4份栽培粳稻聚为一类,4份栽培籼稻单独聚成一类,显示江永野生稻与粳稻的血缘近于籼稻;籼-粳基因频率的分析表明,野生稻样本多属粳稻型,少数属偏粳稻型,原位保护区的偏粳稻类型单株数占取样单株总数的比例,2008年比1982年的增加了10.0%,2017年比2008年的增加了1.6%,显示江永野生稻原位保护区生境条件有利野生稻从粳稻型向偏粳稻型变异,随着野生稻产生环境适应性变异,籼型基因频率在提高。     

花椰菜BobACT基因的克隆及其作为内参基因的研究

实时荧光定量PCR技术是探索植物基因功能和调节机理的有效手段。选择合适的内参基因是获得实时荧光定量PCR准确性数据的必备条件。ACT基因高度保守且表达稳定,常作为内参基因被广泛应用。为了获得花椰菜ACT基因,以转录组测序和RT-PCR方法为手段克隆得到花椰菜肌动蛋白基因Actin。该基因等电点为5.395,理论分子量为41.77 kD;其cDNA开放阅读框长1134 bp,编码氨基酸377个,GenBank登录号为MG598643。Wolf Psort分析发现,BobActin蛋白亚细胞定位于细胞质基质中。Motif Scan分析显示,BobActin蛋白质的氨基酸序列4～377位为Actin保守结构域。进化分析表明,同源序列基因编码的蛋白质与同为十字花科的甘蓝、芜菁和油菜同源蛋白的相似性达到90%以上,具有高度的保守性。在此基础上,设计了1对荧光定量PCR引物,分析显示,该引物具有较高的特异性和扩增效率,在花椰菜根、茎、花、花球、叶片等不同组织和低温、高温、盐处理、干旱处理、ABA处理等胁迫处理下均能稳定表达,适合在花椰菜基因表达研究中作为内参基因,为开展花椰菜重要功能基因的挖掘、表达模式以及调控机理的研究提供参考。花椰菜在内参基因方面的研究还处于初步阶段,今后可继续克隆其他内参基因,丰富花椰菜的内参基因库,从而进一步提高花椰菜基因表达分析研究的稳定性、重复性和准确性。