Lessons learnt from the human infections of avian-origin influenza A H7N9 virus:Live free markets and human health

Recent outbreak of avian-origin influenza A (H7N9) virus in the Yangtze River Delta area, China, expanding to neighboring areas in a later stage, with 36 deaths of 130 cases (as of May 16th) reminds the world of the threat     

The effect of clinical-grade retinal pigment epithelium derived from human embryonic stem cells using different transplantation strategies

Dear Editor, Many forms of sight-threatening diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), are caused by the dysfunction, degeneration and loss of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)(Strauss, 2005). RPE cell transplantation may potentially recover or halt disease progression, in which human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) could serve as an unlimited donor source for RPE differentiation, and a few clinical trials have shown the safety and effective of transplantation of hESCs-derived RPE (hESC-RPE) for AMD patients (Schwartz et al., 2012;Schwartz etal., 2015;Song etal., 2015;da Cruz et al., 2018;Kashani et al., 2018;Liu et al., 2018).     

Engineering of a genome-reduced host: practical application of synthetic biology in the overproduction of desired secondary metabolites

Synthetic biology aims to design and build new biological systems with desirable properties, providing the foundation for the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. The most prominent representation of synthetic biology has been used in microbial engineering by recombinant DNA technology. However, there are advantages of using a deleted host, and therefore an increasing number of biotechnology studies follow similar strategies to dissect cellular networks and construct genome-reduced microbes. This review will give an overview of the strategies used for constructing and engineering reduced-genome factories by synthetic biology to improve production of secondary metabolites.     

Sequences near both termini of the C/EBPβ mRNA 3＇ untranslated region are important for its tumor suppression activity

The 3＇ untranslated region （3＇ UTR） of eukaryotic mRNA is an important regulation element that affects not only mRNA translation, but also cell growth. We had found that the 3＇ UTR of CCAAT-enhancerbinding protein β （C/EBPβ） mRNA had tumor suppression activity. Herein, we reported that deletion of two short sequences at both termini of the C/EBPβ 3t UTR reduced the tumor suppression activity of this 3＇ UTR, as demonstrated by reduced cell growth, colony formation ability, and tumorigenicity in nude mice. It is noteworthy that the only deletion of a single such sequence was enough for the reduction of tumor sup- pression effect, and the reducing effect of deletion of the sequence near 3r terminus was stronger. Therefore, specific short sequences in the C/EBPβ 3＇ UTR are crucial for the tumor suppression activity of C/EBPβ.     

Identification and characterization of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans with high activity and resistance isolated from ancient mine area

A highly active ferrous iron oxidation Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans strain SY, was isolated from an ancient copper mining area in Daye, Hubei Province. Analysis of 16S rDNA sequence showed that the strain has high similarity to the sequence of A. ferrooxidans (DQ 062116.1). Physiological and biochemical determinations showed that the strain was a chemical energy autotrophically with the optimal growth pH at 2.0 and optimal growth temperature at 30 ℃. The MTC of the strain to resist Cu²⁺, Cd²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Zn²⁺ were respectively at 300, 350, 700, and 800 (mmol/L), demonstrated it has high resistance against multiple heavy metal ions. Bioleaching data of SY showed its bioleaching rate on native ore was as high as 84.28%, higher than bioleaching rate on the ore from other mining areas, showing it has very high superiority on bioleaching native ore. The strain SY has great potential in the application of native minerals bioleaching.     

Zacopride selectively activates the Kir2.1 channel via a PKA signaling pathway in rat cardiomyocytes

We recently reported that zacopride is a selective inward rectifier potassium current (IK1 ) channel agonist, suppressing ventricular arrhythmias without affecting atrial arrhythmias. The present study aimed to investigate the unique pharmacological properties of zacopride. The whole-cell patch-clamp technique was used to study IK1 currents in rat atrial myocytes and Kir2.x currents in human embryonic kidney (HEK)-293 cells transfected with inward rectifier potassium channel (Kir)2.1, Kir2.2, Kir2.3, or mutated Kir2.1 (at phosphorylation site S425L). Western immunoblots were performed to estimate the relative protein expression levels of Kir2.x in rat atria and ventricles. Results showed that zacopride did not affect the IK1 and transmembrane potential of atrial myocytes. In HEK293 cells, zacopride increased Kir2.1 homomeric channels by 40.7%±9.7% at 50 mV, but did not affect Kir2.2 and Kir2.3 homomeric channels, and Kir2.1-Kir2.2, Kir2.1-Kir2.3 and Kir2.2-Kir2.3 heteromeric channels. Western immunoblots showed that similar levels of Kir2.3 protein were expressed in rat atria and ventricles, but atrial Kir2.1 protein level was only 25% of that measured in the ventricle. In addition, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) 3 receptor was undetectable, whereas 5-HT 4 receptor was weakly expressed in HEK293 cells. The Kir2.1-activating effect of zacopride in these cells was abolished by inhibition of protein kinase A (PKA), but not PKC or PKG. Furthermore, zacopride did not activate the mutant Kir2.1 channel in HEK293 cells but selectively activated the Kir2.1 homomeric channel via a PKA-dependent pathway, independent to that of the 5-HT receptor.     

Erratum to: Coarse root spatial distribution determined using a ground-penetrating radar technique in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest, China

Erratum to:Science China Life Sciences,November 2013 Vol.56 No.11:1038–1046doi:10.1007/s11427-013-4560-7The legend of Figure 1 should be as follows:Figure 1 Distribution map of 15 subplots at three types of habitats(ridge,slope and valley)     

Diversity of Nitrogenase Systems in Diazotrophs

Nitrogenase is a metalloprotein complex that catalyses the reaction of biological nitrogen fixation. At least three genetically distinct nitrogenase systems have been confirmed in diazotrophs, namely Nil, Vnf, and Anf, in which the active-site central metals are Mo, V, and Fe, respectively. The present review summarizes progress on the genetic, structural, and functional investigations into the three nitrogenases and discusses the possibility of the existence of other novel nitrogenases.     

新一代基因组测序-通往个性化医疗

M.贾尼特编著,薛庆中等译科学出版社出版书号:978-7-03-033007-9,定价:48元内容简介本书由工业界和学术界领域的专家,集中于最新的新一代DNA测序技术及其对基因研究的影响和药物发现研究的发展。因此,它提出了对商用平台下的基因组测序技术的详细比较分析,以及替代性的见解,全面介绍了新出现的测