Friend or Foe? Implication of the autophagy-lysosome pathway in SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19

There is increasing amount of evidence indicating the close interplays between the replication cycle of SARS-CoV-2 and the autophagy-lysosome pathway in the host cells. While autophagy machinery is known to either assist or inhibit the viral replication process, the reciprocal effects of the SARS-CoV-2 on the autophagy-lysosome pathway have also been increasingly appreciated. More importantly, despite the disappointing results from the clinical trials of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in treatment of COVID-19, there is still ongoing effort in discovering new therapeutics targeting the autophagy-lysosome pathway. In this review, we provide an update-to-date summary of the interplays between the autophagy-lysosome pathway in the host cells and the pathogen SARS-CoV-2 at the molecular level, to highlight the prognostic value of autophagy markers in COVID-19 patients and to discuss the potential of developing novel therapeutic strategies for COVID-19 by targeting the autophagy-lysosome pathway. Thus, understanding the nature of such interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and the autophagy-lysosome pathway in the host cells is expected to provide novel strategies in battling against this global pandemic.     

薰衣草叶片对低温胁迫的生理与分子响应机制

薰衣草(Lavandula angustifolia)作为名贵的芳香植物,其生长、繁育、品质和产量均受低温影响。前期研究已获得1个耐低温薰衣草品种。该研究将对其处理的温度从20℃降至0℃,揭示薰衣草响应冷胁迫的生理及分子调控机制,同时结合薰衣草的细胞质膜透性、可溶性糖和蛋白质含量及抗氧化酶活性等生理变化。采用转录组学和生物信息学方法挖掘分析相关耐寒基因,并探讨外施水杨酸缓解–10℃冻胁迫的可行性。研究发现7个编码脂肪酸去饱和酶和转移酶的基因(LaFADs)、3个参与合成可溶性糖的基因(LaBAM1和LaSS2)、19个编码胚胎晚期丰富蛋白的基因(LaLEAs)及7个编码过氧化物酶的基因(LaPODs),这些基因在低温胁迫下均上调表达,指导薰衣草合成并积累保护物质,维持膜稳定性以应对胁迫。此外, 150 mg·L^-1水杨酸预处理能有效缓解植株冻害,可作为低温保护剂。该研究丰富了薰衣草重要抗逆基因家族的遗传背景,为后续分子遗传学功能分析和定向品种改良奠定基础。     

山东蒙山植物多样性及其海拔梯度格局

2007年7月和2008年7月,采用典型取样法,沿海拔梯度对蒙山自然植被进行调查,发现区域地带性植被为麻栎(Quercus acutissima)林,主要植被类型为麻栎群落、赤松(Pinus densiflora)群落、油松(Pinus tabuliformis)群落、日本落叶松(Larix kaempferi)群落、黑松(Pinus thunbergii)群落和刺槐-麻栎(Robinia pseudoacacia-Q.acutissima)群落,麻栎群落略占优势,已具备继续向温带落叶阔叶林演替的条件基础.蒙山各层次植物物种丰富度呈现出草本层>灌木层>乔木层特征,Shannon-Wiener多样性指数和Simpson多样性指数整体规律为灌木层>草本层>乔木层.以蒙山森林群落不同层次的各种物种多样性指数和森林群落总体重要值为测度指标,均判断蒙山植被演替正处于亚顶极群落阶段.蒙山植物多样性沿海拔梯度呈现出近似中海拔高的单峰格局,这除受温度、湿度、人为干扰与面积外,蒙山植被亚顶极群落演替现状与所调查区域仅有800 m的海拔梯度也是重要影响因素.     

暗针叶林下华西箭竹（Fargesia nitida）对岷江冷杉（Abies faxoniana）幼龄植株种群动态的影响

通过不同华西箭竹（Fargesia nitida）环境中岷江冷杉（Abies faxoniana）幼龄植株种群生命表及存活曲线、死亡曲线、消失率曲线和生存函数曲线,分析种群动态趋势,并根据野外取样分析华西箭竹对岷江冷杉幼龄植株生物量分配的影响。结果表明：在暗针叶林下,岷江冷杉幼龄植株总的种群结构呈明显的金字塔型,存活曲线DeeveyⅢ型,幼苗个体丰富,死亡率高,进入小树阶段后有较高的生命期望。小密度华西箭竹增大了岷江冷杉幼苗、幼树的死亡率,该环境下的岷江冷杉幼龄植株种群存活曲线为DeeveyⅡ型,而无竹环境为DeeveyⅢ型。大密度华西箭竹环境中岷江冷杉小幼苗叶重比显著增大,异速生长显著增高。过于密集的华西箭竹严重抑制了岷江冷杉幼苗的定居,而小密度华西箭竹的存在对岷江冷杉的更新并非完全不利。     

Cd、Fe及其复合污染对烟草叶片几项生理指标的影响

本文通过盆栽和大田模拟试验,研究了Cd,Fe,Cd+Fe,Fe+Cd处理下烟草红花大金元(Nicotiana tabacurm L.)叶片的几项生理指标的变化情况。试验表明:烟草叶片叶绿素a、叶绿素b、叶绿素a+b含量均随Cd处理浓度的增加而下降,随Fe处理浓度的增加而上升。总烟碱含量随Cd处理浓度的增加(0—100ppm)而下降,Cd 150ppm时略有上升,随Fe处理浓度的增加而上升。蛋白质含量随Cd处理浓度的增加而上升,随Fe处理浓度的增加而下降。烟草的3个生理指标表明,Cd抑制Fe对生理指标的作用,Fe抑制Cd对它们的作用,Cd与Fe相互拮抗。Cd处理的烟草叶片过氧化物酶活性和细胞膜透性的测定结果表明,过氧化物酶活性和细胞膜透性均随Cd处理浓度的增加而上升。     

Alterations and Mechanism of Gut Microbiota in Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

To explore the role of gut microbiota in Graves’ disease (GD) and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT). Seventy fecal samples were collected, including 27 patients with GD, 27 with HT, and 16 samples from healthy volunteers. Chemiluminescence was used to detect thyroid function and autoantibodies (FT3, FT4, TSH, TRAb, TGAb, and TPOAb); thyroid ultrasound and 16S sequencing were used to analyze the bacteria in fecal samples; KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) and COG (Clusters of Orthologous Groups) were used to analyze the functional prediction and pathogenesis. The overall structure of gut microbiota in the GD and HT groups was significantly different from the healthy control group. Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria contents were the highest in the HT group. Compared to the control group, the GD and HT groups had a higher abundance of Erysipelotrichia, Cyanobacteria, and Ruminococcus_2 and lower levels of Bacillaceae and Megamonas. Further analysis of KEGG found that the “ABC transporter” metabolic pathway was highly correlated with the occurrence of GD and HT. COG analysis showed that the GD and HT groups were enriched in carbohydrate transport and metabolism compared to the healthy control group but not in amino acid transport and metabolism. Our data suggested that Bacillus, Blautia, and Ornithinimicrobium could be used as potential markers to distinguish GD and HT from the healthy population and that “ABC transporter” metabolic pathway may be involved in the pathogenesis of GD and HT.     

不同预处理方法影响昆虫干标本DNA提取效果

为从昆虫干标本中获取高质量DNA,以利于后期PCR扩增目的基因,本研究对DNA提取前昆虫干标本的预处理方法进行探讨,分别测定其纯度和质量,并用不同引物进行了扩增效果对比。结果显示:经过预处理的样品DNA平均含量均高于CK的52.283 ng/滋L,最高为0.9%Na Cl处理3 h,平均含量达122.632 ng/滋L;米象4种预处理方法提取的DNA利用引物Lco1490/Hco2198及UEA7/UEA10均能扩增出650 bp长度条带,仅有0.9%Na Cl溶液浸泡3 h处理的米象可通过引物J173/J1331扩增出1 000 bp的长片段条带。研究表明,经过预处理后,一定程度上减少了基因组DNA的断链,主要对样品DNA的质量浓度影响显著;以9%Na Cl溶液3 h预处理后的昆虫干标本,利用磁珠法所提DNA的质量及PCR扩增效果最佳。     

Processing and characterization of porous structures from chitosan and starch for tissue engineering scaffolds

Natural biodegradable polymers were processed by different techniques for the production of porous structures for tissue engineering scaffolds. Potato, corn, and sweet potato starches and chitosan, as well as blends of these, were characterized and used in the experiments. The techniques used to produce the porous structures included a novel solvent-exchange phase separation technique and the well-established thermally induced phase separation method. Characterization of the open pore structures was performed by measuring pore size distribution, density, and porosity of the samples. A wide range of pore structures ranging from 1 to 400 microm were obtained. The mechanisms of pore formation are discussed for starch and chitosan scaffolds. Pore morphology in starch scaffolds seemed to be determined by the initial freezing temperature/freezing rate, whereas in chitosan scaffolds the shape and size of pores may have been determined by the processing route used. The mechanical properties of the scaffolds were assessed by indentation tests, showing that the indentation collapse strength depends on the pore geometry and the material type. Bioactivity and degradation of the potential scaffolds were assessed by immersion in simulated body fluid.     

稻田蜘蛛混合种群空间分布模式动态分析(英文)

结果表明,在东方红农场稻田中总共有11科29属43种蜘蛛,其中早稻田中有8科19属43种,晚稻田中有10科27属36种。在水稻的不同发育阶段蜘蛛混合种群的空间分布模式存在差异。在早稻发育的前期、中期和后期,稻田蜘蛛混合种群的空间分布模式分别是聚集的、随机的和聚集的;在晚稻发育的前期、中期和后期,其空间分布模式依次是均匀的、聚集的和均匀的。同时,对其空间分布模式动态进行了初步分析。