Porphyromonas gingivalis promotes the motility of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by activating NF-κB signaling pathway

Esophageal carcinoma, with a increasing incidence, is one of the most aggressive carcinomas in gastrointestinal tract. Epidemiologic studies demonstrate an association of oral pathogens with multiple diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and gastrointestinal malignancies. Nevertheless, a causal relationship between oral pathogens and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has not been elucidated. Here, we found that Porphyromonas was significantly enriched in the saliva of patients with ESCC, compared with that in normal human. In vitro studies showed that Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) promoted the proliferation and motility of ESCC cells, as evidenced by up regulated expression of key molecules implicated in NF-κB signaling pathway. These findings, for the first time, demonstrated a role of oral pathogens in inducing ESCC tumorigenesis and metastasis, which might involve regulation of NF-κB signaling pathway.     

Interactive Effects of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Copper Stress on Flowering Phenology and Reproduction of Elsholtzia splendens

Plant responses to heavy metal contamination may depend on the presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Elsholtzia splendens is an indicator species for the presence of copper (Cu) mines because both its flowering phenology and reproduction are tolerant to heavy metals. To test whether effects of Cu on the flowering phenology and reproduction of E. splendens depend on the presence of AMF, we conducted a factorial experiment with two Cu treatments (with or without Cu addition) crossed with two AMF treatments (with or without AMF inoculation). Without AMF, Cu addition significantly delayed the onset dates, ending dates and peak dates of flowering and decreased flowering duration. However, AMF inoculation reversed the effects of Cu stress, with recovered flowering onset and ending dates and increased the flowering duration. Cu addition significantly decreased inflorescence width and number, inflorescence biomass, vegetative biomass and total seed number, but significantly increased 1000-seed weight. AMF inoculation significantly increased vegetative biomass. Two-way ANOVA results showed that the interactive effects between Cu addition and AMF inoculation were significant on the inflorescence number, vegetative biomass and total seed number. These results indicate that AMF can alleviate the Cu stress on the flowering phenology and reproduction of E. splendens.     

活血丹小尺度空间遗传结构

活血丹(Glechoma lonituba)是唇形科活血丹属的多年生克隆草本植物。采用简单重复序列区(ISSR)分子标记技术,比较分析了3个不同斑块活血丹的遗传多样性、克隆多样性以及小尺度空间遗传结构,并探讨其与生境异质性、繁殖体传播和人为干扰的相关性。结果表明:1)活血丹物种水平的遗传多样性很低,各斑块的遗传多样性较低,以水渠边斑块最高,平葛村斑块次之,竹林下斑块最低。2)活血丹物种水平的克隆多样性较高,各斑块活血丹的克隆多样性以水渠边斑块最大,平葛村斑块次之,竹林下斑块最低。3)遗传分化系数Gst为0.7129,表明活血丹的遗传变异大部分存在于斑块间;斑块间的基因流较小,仅为0.2004。4)空间自相关分析表明活血丹一定的空间距离下存在显著的空间遗传结构,竹林下斑块在100cm时存在显著性正相关,其X轴截矩为205.994cm;平葛村斑块在200cm时存在显著性正相关,其X轴截矩为235.388cm;水渠边斑块在150cm时存在显著性正相关,其X轴截矩为240.336cm。应用软件SPAGeDi 1.2软件对各斑块的空间遗传结构进行量化,表明平葛村斑块具有最强的空间遗传结构,水渠边和竹林下斑块的空间遗传结构较弱。活血丹的遗传结构、克隆结构及空间分布格局受到其繁殖体传播特征、人为干扰和繁殖权衡的影响,是其对生境异质性的适应结果。     

浙江天台山甜槠种群遗传结构的空间自相关分析

采用空间自相关分析方法对浙江天台山亚热带常绿阔叶林优势种甜槠种群全部个体及不同年龄级个体的小尺度空间遗传结构进行了分析,以探讨甜槠种群内遗传变异的分布特征及其形成机制。根据11个ISSR引物所提供的多态位点,经GenAlEx 6软件计算地理坐标和遗传距离矩阵在10个距离等级下的空间自相关系数。在样地内,甜槠种群内个体在空间距离小于10 m时存在显著的正空间遗传结构,其X-轴截矩为9.945。甜槠种群的空间遗传结构与其种子短距离传播和广泛的花粉传播有关。Ⅰ年龄级、Ⅱ年龄级和III年龄级个体在空间距离小于10 m时存在显著的正空间遗传结构,其X-轴截矩分别为11.820、9.746和9.792。当距离等级为5 m时,其空间自相关系数r分别为0.068、0.054和0.070。Ⅳ年龄级个体在所有空间距离等级中均不存在显著的空间遗传结构。甜槠是多年生、长寿命植物,自疏作用是导致IV年龄级个体空间遗传结构消失的主要原因。     

Rice stripe virus coat protein induces the accumulation of jasmonic acid,activating plant defence against the virus while also attracting its vector to feed

The jasmonic acid (JA) pathway plays crucial roles in plant defence against pathogens and herbivores. Rice stripe virus (RSV) is the type member of the genus Tenuivirus. It is transmitted by the small brown planthopper (SBPH) and causes damaging epidemics in East Asia. The role(s) that JA may play in the tripartite interaction against RSV, its host, and vector are poorly understood. Here, we found that the JA pathway was induced by RSV infection and played a defence role against RSV. The coat protein (CP) was the major viral component responsible for inducing the JA pathway. Methyl jasmonate treatment attracted SBPHs to feed on rice plants while a JA-deficient mutant was less attractive than wild-type rice. SBPHs showed an obvious preference for feeding on transgenic rice lines expressing RSV CP. Our results demonstrate that CP is an inducer of the JA pathway that activates plant defence against RSV while also attracting SBPHs to feed and benefitting viral transmission. This is the first report of the function of JA in the tripartite interaction between RSV, its host, and its vector.     

Nature of FeSe2/N‐C Anode for High Performance Potassium Ion Hybrid Capacitor

Potassium ion hybrid capacitors have great potential for large‐scale energy devices, because of the high power density and low cost. However, their practical applications are hindered by their low energy density, as well as electrolyte decomposition and collector corrosion at high potential in potassium bis(fluoro‐sulfonyl)imide‐based electrolyte. Therefore, anode materials with high capacity, a suitable voltage platform, and stability become a key factor. Here, N‐doping carbon‐coated FeSe₂ clusters are demonstrated as the anode material for a hybrid capacitor, delivering a reversible capacity of 295 mAh g^?1 at 100 mA g^?1 over 100 cycles and a high rate capability of 158 mAh g^?1 at 2000 mA g^?1 over 2000 cycles. Meanwhile, through density functional theory calculations, in situ X‐ray diffraction, and ex situ transmission electron microscopy, the evolution of FeSe₂ to Fe₃Se₄ for the electrochemical reaction mechanism is successfully revealed. The battery‐supercapacitor hybrid using commercial activated carbon as the cathode and FeSe₂/N‐C as the anode is obtained. It delivers a high energy density of 230 Wh kg^?1 and a power density of 920 W kg^?1 (the energy density and power density are calculated based on the total mass of active materials in the anode and cathode).     

Pollen limitation in the endangered Chinese endemic species Sinocalycanthus chinensis

Pollen limitation negatively impacts endangered and endemic plants with small fragmented populations, such as Sinocalycanthus chinensis, an endangered plant endemic to China. In this study, we analyzed the pollen limitation of the S. chinensis Damingshan (DMS) population in 2006, 2009, and 2010, and crossed plants with mates separated by different distances, both within and between populations. The DMS population exhibited strong pollen limitation in fruit set, seed set, and seeds per fruit in 2006, 2009, and 2010. The average accumulated pollen limitation (for fruit set times seeds per fruit) was 0.510 ± 0.180. Progeny crossed with pollen from intermediate neighboring plants within the same population (separated by 30–50 m from pollen recipients) had the lowest fitness. No optimal outcrossing distance was found within the DMS population. Progeny from crosses with the Shunxiwu (SXW) and Daleishan (DLS) populations performed relatively better, while those from crosses with Qingliangfeng (QLF) and Longxushan (LXS) populations performed worse. Compared with average reproductive success, outbreeding depression was found in progeny from crosses with the LXS and QLF populations. Reproductive success from pure self‐pollination indicated S. chinensis is self‐compatible. Geitonogamous selfing increased reproductive success. Based on geitonogamous selfing, the proportion of selfed offspring was relatively high. These results provide basic references for the conservation of this species.