Heparan sulfate maintains adult midgut homeostasis in Drosophila

Tissue homeostasis is controlled by the differentiated progeny of residential progenitors (stem cells). Adult stem cells constantly adjust their proliferation/differentiation rates to respond to tissue damage and stresses. However, how differentiated cells maintain tissue homeostasis remains unclear. Here, we find that heparan sulfate (HS), a class of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains, protects differentiated cells from loss to maintain intestinal homeostasis. HS depletion in enterocytes (ECs) leads to intestinal homeostasis disruption, with accumulation of intestinal stem cell (ISC)‐like cells and mis‐differentiated progeny. HS‐deficient ECs are prone to cell death/stress and induced cytokine and epidermal growth factor (EGF) expression, which, in turn, promote ISC proliferation and differentiation. Interestingly, HS depletion in ECs results in the inactivation of decapentaplegic (Dpp) signaling. Moreover, ectopic Dpp signaling completely rescued the defects caused by HS depletion. Together, our data demonstrate that HS is required for Dpp signal activation in ECs, thereby protecting ECs from ablation to maintain midgut homeostasis. Our data shed light into the regulatory mechanisms of how differentiated cells contribute to tissue homeostasis maintenance.     

Down-regulated miR-15a mediates the epithelial–mesenchymal transition in renal tubular epithelial cells promoted by high glucose

High glucose (HG) has been reported to be associated with renal dysfunction. And one potential mechanism underlining the dysfunction is the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) of renal tubular epithelial cells. Present study showed that EMT was induced in the HG-treated renal tubular epithelial cells by promoting the expression of mesenchymal phenotype molecules, such as α-SMA and collagen I, and down-regulating the expression of epithelial phenotype molecule E-cadherin. Moreover, we have identified the down-regulation of miR-15a which was accompanied with the HG-induced EMT. And the miR-15a overexpression inhibited the α-SMA, collagen I expression, and the promotion of E-cadherin expression by targeting and down-regulating AP4 which was also significantly promoted by the HG in the renal tubular epithelial cells. Thus, this study revealed that the weakening regulation on the AP4 expression by miR-15a might contribute to the HG-induced EMT in the renal tubular epithelial cells.     

Small molecule biaryl FSH receptor agonists. Part 2: Lead optimization via parallel synthesis

Potent small molecule biaryl diketopiperazine FSH receptor agonists such as 10c (EC(50)=13 nM) and 11f (EC(50)=1.2 nM) were discovered through the design, synthesis and evaluation of three biaryl diketopiperazine optimization libraries with over 300 compounds. These libraries were prepared via solid-phase parallel synthesis using a cyclization-release method.     

Energy coding in neural network with inhibitory neurons

This paper aimed at assessing and comparing the effects of the inhibitory neurons in the neural network on the neural energy distribution, and the network activities in the absence of the inhibitory neurons to understand the nature of neural energy distribution and neural energy coding. Stimulus, synchronous oscillation has significant difference between neural networks with and without inhibitory neurons, and this difference can be quantitatively evaluated by the characteristic energy distribution. In addition, the synchronous oscillation difference of the neural activity can be quantitatively described by change of the energy distribution if the network parameters are gradually adjusted. Compared with traditional method of correlation coefficient analysis, the quantitative indicators based on nervous energy distribution characteristics are more effective in reflecting the dynamic features of the neural network activities. Meanwhile, this neural coding method from a global perspective of neural activity effectively avoids the current defects of neural encoding and decoding theory and enormous difficulties encountered. Our studies have shown that neural energy coding is a new coding theory with high efficiency and great potential.     

生物活性物的生物制造：现状、挑战和发展趋势

生物活性物的生物制造是指利用包括细胞、微生物和酶在内的生物系统生产具有生物活性的天然或合成分子的过程。这些分子可用于制药、化妆品、农业和食品工业等领域,对提高生命质量、延长生命长度具有重要意义。在合成生物学和自动化等技术的推动下,生物制造领域迅速发展,为创造新产品和替代传统产品提供了绿色可持续的生产模式,为生物经济的增长、创新作出了重要贡献。本文结合生物活性物研发及生产情况,简要梳理并分析了国内外生物活性物的现有市场和未来发展。生物制造作为一种绿色、可持续的生产方式,将在生物经济发展中持续发挥重要作用。     

里氏木霉VPS13基因缺失对菌丝分支、生孢和纤维素酶产量的影响

【目的】丝状真菌里氏木霉是纤维素酶生产的主要工业真菌。纤维素酶分泌过程中的蛋白运输途径是控制大量纤维素酶成功输出的重要环节,因此,研究蛋白分泌途径的特定靶标基因功能将有助于鉴定纤维素酶运输分泌过程的关键调控因子。本研究借助基因敲除方法将里氏木霉液泡蛋白分选相关基因VPS13缺失,分析了该基因缺失对菌株生长、生孢尤其是纤维素酶分泌的影响。【方法】利用Double-joint PCR技术和同源重组策略构建里氏木霉VPS13基因缺失突变株,通过菌丝培养、显微观察、生孢检测、蛋白与酶活测定,系统比较VPS13基因敲除前后菌株的生长特征、菌丝形态、孢子形成、蛋白分泌以及纤维素酶活等。【结果】成功获得两株VPS13基因缺失株。与出发菌株相比,该基因突变后菌丝蔓延速率明显减慢,但菌体生物量在对数生长期后显著增多。通过显微观察,发现该基因缺失株菌丝更加密集,分支明显增多。此外,该基因缺失也导致菌株生孢延迟。纤维素底物平板分析发现VPS13基因缺失株菌落周围透明圈更加清晰,且透明圈圈径比是出发菌株的4倍,说明降解纤维素的能力有明显提高。进一步的液体发酵实验结果显示,该基因缺失导致蛋白产量及纤维素酶活力分别提高16.4%和21.9%。【结论】里氏木霉VPS13基因在菌丝生长、生孢、蛋白分泌等不同生物学过程中具有功能多样性,且该基因在菌种改良上可以作为提高纤维素酶产量的重要靶点。