TMEM41B and VMP1 are scramblases and regulate the distribution of cholesterol and phosphatidylserine

TMEM41B and VMP1 are integral membrane proteins of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and regulate the formation of autophagosomes, lipid droplets (LDs), and lipoproteins. Recently, TMEM41B was identified as a crucial host factor for infection by all coronaviruses and flaviviruses. The molecular function of TMEM41B and VMP1, which belong to a large evolutionarily conserved family, remains elusive. Here, we show that TMEM41B and VMP1 are phospholipid scramblases whose deficiency impairs the normal cellular distribution of cholesterol and phosphatidylserine. Their mechanism of action on LD formation is likely to be different from that of seipin. Their role in maintaining cellular phosphatidylserine and cholesterol homeostasis may partially explain their requirement for viral infection. Our results suggest that the proper sorting and distribution of cellular lipids are essential for organelle biogenesis and viral infection.     

Narrow H3K4me2 is required for chicken PGC formation

The development of primordial germ cells (PGCs) undergoes epigenetic modifications. The study of histone methylation in regulating PGCs is beneficial to understand the development and differentiation mechanism of germ stem cells. Notably, it provides a theoretical basis for directed induction and mass acquisition in vitro. However, little is known about the regulation of PGC formation by histone methylation. Here, we found the high enrichment of H3K4me2 in the blastoderm, genital ridges, and testis. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing was performed and the results revealed that genomic H3K4me2 is dynamic in embryonic stem cells, PGCs, and spermatogonial stem cells. This trend was consistent with the H3K4me2 enrichment in the gene promoter region. Additionally, narrow region triggered PGC‐related genes (Bmp4, Wnt5a, and Tcf7l2) and signaling pathways (Wnt and transforming growth factor‐β). After knocking down histone methylase Mll2 in vitro and vivo, the level of H3K4me2 decreased, inhibiting Cvh and Blimp1 expression, then repressing the formation of PGCs. Taken together, our study revealed the whole genome map of H3K4me2 in the formation of PGCs, contributing to improve the epigenetic study in PGC formation and providing materials for bird gene editing and rescue of endangered birds.     

FGF21 impedes peripheral myelin development by stimulating p38 MAPK/c‐Jun axis

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) as a metabolic stress hormone, is mainly secreted by the liver. In addition to its well‐defined roles in energy homeostasis, FGF21 has been shown to promote remyelination after injury in the central nervous system. In the current study, we sought to examine the potential roles of FGF21 in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) myelination. In the PNS myelin development, Fgf21 expression was reversely correlated with myelin gene expression. In cultured primary Schwann cells (SCs), the application of recombinant FGF21 greatly attenuates myelination‐associated gene expression, including Oct6, Krox20, Mbp, Mpz, and Pmp22. Accordingly, the injection of FGF21 into neonatal rats markedly mitigates the myelination in sciatic nerves. On the contrary, the infusion of the anti‐FGF21 antibody accelerates the myelination. Mechanistically, both extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) were stimulated by FGF21 in SCs and sciatic nerves. Following experiments including pharmaceutical intervention and gene manipulation revealed that the p38 MAPK/c‐Jun axis, rather than ERK, is targeted by FGF21 for mediating its repression on myelination in SCs. Taken together, our data provide a new aspect of FGF21 by acting as a negative regulator for the myelin development process in the PNS via activation of p38 MAPK/c‐Jun.     

Hypoxia Accelerate β-Actin Expression through Transcriptional Activation of ACTB by Nuclear Respiratory Factor-1

Molecular Biology - Cytoskeletal protein β-actin is abundant both in the cytoplasm and the nucleus, its mRNA is commonly utilized an internal control for gene expression analysis. Recent...     

喀什边境口岸陆运卡车及集装箱污染的新冠病毒基因特征分析

新疆维吾尔自治区喀什地区作为我国与中亚和欧洲的重要陆路货运口岸,来往货物运输频繁,引入新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)风险大,对我国新型冠状病毒肺炎(COVID-19)疫情防控造成压力.2020年11月我国新疆维吾尔自治区喀什地区发生输入SARS-CoV-2导致的本土聚集性COVID-19疫情.为明确货物运输载体携带SARS-CoV-2的基因特征以及边境快速物流系统作为SARS-CoV-2传播载体的可能性,本研究对2020年11月6日-2020年11月10日期间在喀什边境口岸货运卡车及运输的集装箱采集的35份SARS-CoV-2核酸阳性样本进行SARS-CoV-2全基因组序列测定和比对分析.结果 显示,35份样本ORFlab基因Ct值的中位数(最小值～最大值)为37.64(28.91～39.81),N基因Ct值的中位数(最小值～最大值)为36.50(26.35～39.30),Reads数匹配率的中位数(最小值～最大值)为51.95％(0.86％～99.31％),病毒载量较低;35份样本中基因组覆盖度达到70％以上的共计18份.基于Pango命名法,18条SARS-CoV-2基因组序列分别属于B.1、B.1.1、B.1.9、B.1.1.220、B.1.153和B.1.465共6个不同的基因型,其中3个基因型(B.1、B.1.1和B.1.153)在喀什边境接壤或邻近的四个国家同期采集的病例样本中也有发现.核苷酸突变位点和系统进化树分析显示,同一个地点采集的样本病毒基因组相似程度高;18条序列中的4条与喀什COVID-19疫情毒株代表序列处在同一个进化分支;其中1条序列与喀什COVID-19疫情毒株基因组存在1个或2个核苷酸突变位点差异,高度同源.本研究证实喀什COVID-19疫情期间边境货运卡车和集装箱存在境外多种基因型病毒的污染,其中存在喀什COVID-19疫情毒株的祖父代病毒,高度提示边境快速物流系统卡车及集装箱作为载体携带SARS-CoV-2病毒入境造成了本土疫情,这些数据为我国边境口岸地区的新冠防控策略制定及后续疫情溯源提供了关键的参考依据.     

陕西长武玉米降水指数保险设计

天气指数保险能有效规避传统农业保险的弊端。本研究基于陕西长武长序列产量数据和气象数据,采用统计分析的方法进行种植面积、产量、单产、趋势产量、相对气象产量以及玉米生育期需供水的分析;采用基于损失的风险评估方法评价种植风险;采用基于Logistic模型的费率厘定方法进行纯费率厘定;根据降水指数和减产率的相关性,设计降水指数;采用投影寻踪的方法设计降水指数赔付方案。结果表明:长武玉米种植面积、产量、单产、趋势产量以及相对气象产量都呈现出增加趋势;生育期平均需水650 mm,降水434mm,亏缺216 mm;从4月下旬到8月下旬,玉米呈现出水分亏缺的状态,7月中旬抽雄期水分亏缺最多,为33.65 mm;9月出现微弱的水分盈余;1994、1995和1997年为减产年,减产率分别为14%、20%和44%,相应降水距平分别为-42.44%、-47.72%和-29.71%;玉米种植轻、中、重和巨灾的发生概率分别是7.49%、3.40%、1.43%和1%;玉米降水指数保险纯费率为2.92%;生育期内旬降水(阈值为40 mm)累积值指定为玉米降水指数,并以降水指数为变量进行分段赔付。本研究剖析了长武玉米种植状况和干旱灾害,并设计了玉米的降水指数保险产品,为长武玉米农业保险提供了新的选择,对解决农业保险目前的困境具有重要的意义。     

安徽北部地区恶性肿瘤人群卡波氏肉瘤相关疱疹病毒血清学分析

卡波氏肉瘤相关疱疹病毒是一种新发现的γ疱疹病毒(Kaposi'ssarcoma-associated herpesvirus,KSHV).在中国新疆,KSHV感染率比较高,KSHV在免疫缺陷患者和静脉吸毒者中感染率也比在普通人群中高.为了进一步研究KSHV在安徽北部地区恶性肿瘤人群中的感染率和高风险因素,初步探讨KSHV与肿瘤的发生之间相关性,研究KSHV的高发人群特点,本研究选用KSHV病毒重组蛋白ORF65、ORF 73和K8.1为抗原,利用酶联免疫吸附实验(ELISA)对500份恶性肿瘤患者血清样本及200份健康体检人群血清样本进行KSHV抗体检测,分析KSHV的感染率及危险因素.结果显示500例肿瘤患者KSHV阳性总数170例,总阳性率为34％,200份健康人群KSHV阳性总数22例,总阳性率为11％,肿瘤人群KSHV阳性率明显高于健康人群(P＜0.001).其中肺癌、肝癌、结肠癌、宫颈癌、乳腺癌样本KSHV阳性率分别为36.4％,34.1％,41.7％,28.6％,30.3％,此5组肿瘤组KSHV阳性率也分别高于健康人群,都具有统计学意义(P＜0.001).但5组肿瘤样本之间KS-HV阳性率无明显差异(P＞0.05),且各组肿瘤样本分别与性别、乙肝五项、丙肝之间无统计学意义(P＞0.05).本研究结果提示安徽北部地区恶性肿瘤患者KSHV抗体阳性率显著高于中国普通人群总体KSHV抗体阳性率,证明KSHV在恶性肿瘤人群中呈现较高比例的分布.     

2018-2019年中国流行性腮腺炎流行特征和病毒基因特征分析

阐明中国(未包括香港、澳门特别行政区和台湾地区,下同)2018-2019年流行性腮腺炎(流腮)流行特征和病毒基因特征。对2018-2019年中国流腮流行病学和病毒学监测数据进行描述流行病学和分子流行病学分析。2018-2019年中国流腮年报告发病率分别为18.65/10万和21.48/10万,15岁以下儿童和青少年是我国流腮的高发人群,分别占总病例数的85.30%和82.56%。流腮的流行具有明显的季节性特征。全国各省、自治区、直辖市份均有流腮病例报告,西部和中部地区发病率高于东部地区。2018-2019年共获得160条腮腺炎病毒(Mumps virus,MuV)SH基因序列,其中150条(93.75%)序列鉴定为F基因型MuV,在我国11个省份检测到;10条(6.25%)序列为G基因型MuV,2019年在广东、湖北和新疆3个省份检测到。和我国既往流行MuV代表株相比,2018-2019年流行的F基因型MuV代表株序列在基因亲缘性关系树上相对集中。现阶段我国流腮的流行病学特征未发生明显改变,仍呈现病毒自然流行模式;F基因型作为优势流行基因型,在我国大部分地区持续流行,但毒株的遗传多态性有所降低,这可能和我国实施1剂次腮腺炎疫苗常规免疫策略有关。G基因型MuV主要在我国局部地区流行,但流行范围在逐渐扩大。建议进一步加强两剂次腮腺炎疫苗接种工作,降低我国腮腺炎易感人群。同时持续性开展MuV流行学和病毒学监测工作,为鉴别病毒的来源,确定病毒传播途径和评估腮腺炎疫苗免疫策略奠定重要的基础。     

种植模式对当归根际细菌群落多样性及代谢通路的影响

连作障碍严重限制了当归产业的可持续发展。为了探索当归(Angelica sinensis)高效栽培技术,本研究在当归主产区甘肃省渭源县设置5种种植模式(A: 豌豆-当归-当归,对照;B: 豌豆-小麦-当归;C: 豌豆-蒙古黄芪-当归;D: 豌豆-马铃薯-当归;E: 豌豆-休耕-当归),于采挖期分别测定不同种植模式下,当归根际土壤理化特性和细菌基因组DNA相对丰度,分析不同种植模式对当归根际土壤理化特性、细菌群落多样性和代谢通路的影响。结果表明: 1) 5种种植模式下当归根际土壤理化特性差异较大。与对照相比,C模式根际土壤的电导率显著增加,B、D和E模式的电导率略有下降,B、C、D和E模式的土壤CO₂呼吸速率显著提高。2) 5种种植模式的当归根际土壤细菌隶属于26门368属,其中,芽单胞菌门的芽单胞菌属、变形菌门的鞘脂单胞菌属和酸杆菌门的Subgroup_6属为优势菌属。与对照相比,B、C模式变形菌门和放线菌门的相对丰度显著增加,D模式酸杆菌门的相对丰度显著降低;E模式变形菌门、酸杆菌门和放线菌门的相对丰度显著增加。3) 5种种植模式下,当归根际土壤的pH值、电导率、有机质、碱解氮、有效磷和速效钾含量与变形菌门细菌的相对丰度呈显著负相关。4) 5种种植模式下,当归根际土壤中6种代谢通路细菌的相对丰度差异显著。C模式对当归根际土壤理化特性和细菌群落有较好的调节作用,是克服当归连作障碍的主要种植模式。