A systematic investigation of leaf epidermis in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Camellia</Emphasis> using light microscopy

The characters of mature leaf epidermis of 58 species and 3 varieties belonging to 19 sections, representing all the 4 subgenera: Protocamellia, Camellia, Thea and Metacamellia were investigated under light microscope. The main conclusions are as follows: 1) The shape of the epidermal cells is elliptical, polygonal or irregular and the anticlinal walls are arched, straight or sinuolate, sinuous to sinuate. 2) The stomatal apparatus, consisting of a stoma (a pore plus a pair of guard cells) and 3–4 subsidiary cells, restricted to the abaxial surface of the leaves, were assigned to anisocytic, anisotricytic, isotricytic or tetracytic type. 3) Special structures in leaf epidermis, such as stomatal clusters, aborted stomata, secretory cells, cuticular intrusions and their taxonomic implications were also elucidated.     

Assessment of association of rs2200733 on chromosome 4q25 with atrial fibrillation and ischemic stroke in a Chinese Han population

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in the clinical setting and an independent risk factor for stroke. Approximately 10 million Chinese people are affected by AF, but the genetic basis is largely unknown. A recent genome-wide association study in Iceland identified association between SNP rs2200733 on 4q25 and AF; however, many independent replication studies are essential to unequivocally validate this association. To assess the association between rs2200733 and AF as well as that between rs2200733 and ischemic stroke in a mainland Chinese Han population, we carried out case–control association studies with 383 AF patients versus 851 non-AF controls and 811 ischemic stroke patients versus 688 non-stroke controls. Highly significant association was detected between rs2200733 and AF in a Chinese Han population (allelic P = 3.7 × 10^?11 with OR = 1.81; genotypic P = 4.1 × 10^?12 with a dominant model). When the AF cases were divided into lone AF (32.6%) and other types of AF (67.4%), significantly stronger association was found with lone AF (OR = 2.40, P = 1.3 × 10^?9 compared to OR = 1.59, P = 6.2 × 10^?7 for other types of AF; P = 0.02 for two ORs). No significant association was found between rs2200733 and ischemic stroke. Our results suggest that SNP rs2200733 confers a highly significant risk of AF, but not ischemic stroke, in a more representative Chinese Han population in the mainland China.     

缘管浒苔Rubisco酶大亚基基因编码序列rbcL克隆及分析

主要对缘管浒苔光合作用第一关键酶Rubisco大亚基基因(rbcL)进行了克隆分离.首先通过PCR特异性扩增叶绿体基因编码的缘管浒苔大亚基编码序列rbcL部分基因序列(1 035 bp).依据基因步移原理,首次克隆得到缘管浒苔rbcL 5′上游非翻译区序列(224 bp).据推测,rbcL 5′上游非翻译区序列存在类似原核生物的启动子元件-10区(TAAAAT)和-35区(TTGAAA).此外,依据3′-RACE(cDNA末端快速扩增技术)原理,克隆得到缘管浒苔rbcL 3′末端cDNA序列(579 bp).     

BRG1 variant rs1122608 on chromosome 19p13.2 confers protection against stroke and regulates expression of pre-mRNA-splicing factor SFRS3

A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1122608 on chromosome 19p13.2 and in the BRG1/SMARCA4 gene was previously associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD and ischemic stroke are both associated with atherosclerosis. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that rs1122608 is associated with ischemic stroke. Further studies were used to identify the most likely mechanism by which rs1122608 regulates atherosclerosis. For case–control association studies, two independent Chinese Han GeneID cohorts were used, including a Central cohort with 1,075 cases and 2,685 controls and the Northern cohort with 1,208 cases and 824 controls. eQTL and real-time RT-PCR analyses were used to identify the potential candidate gene(s) affected by rs1122608. The minor allele T of SNP rs1122608 showed significant association with a decreased risk of ischemic stroke in the Central GeneID cohort (adjusted P _adj = 2.1 × 10^?4, OR 0.61). The association was replicated in an independent Northern GeneID cohort (P _adj = 6.00 × 10^?3, OR 0.69). The association became more significant in the combined population (P _adj = 7.86 × 10^?5, OR 0.73). Allele T of SNP rs1122608 also showed significant association with a decreased total cholesterol level (P _adj = 0.013). Allele T of rs1122608 was associated with an increased expression level of SFRS3 encoding an mRNA splicing regulator, but not with the expression of BRG1/SMARCA4 or LDLR (located 36 kb from rs1122608). Increased expression of SFSR3 may decrease IL-1β expression and secretion, resulting in reduced risk of atherosclerosis and stroke. This is the first study that demonstrates that rs1122608 confers protection against ischemic stroke and implicates splicing factor SFSR3 in the disease process.     

The mitochondrial membrane protein FgLetm1 regulates mitochondrial integrity,production of endogenous reactive oxygen species and mycotoxin biosynthesis in Fusarium graminearum

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin produced in cereal crops infected with Fusarium graminearum. DON poses a serious threat to human and animal health, and is a critical virulence factor. Various environmental factors, including reactive oxygen species (ROS), have been shown to interfere with DON biosynthesis in this pathogen. The regulatory mechanisms of how ROS trigger DON production have been investigated extensively in F. graminearum. However, the role of the endogenous ROS‐generating system in DON biosynthesis is largely unknown. In this study, we genetically analysed the function of leucine zipper‐EF‐hand‐containing transmembrane 1 (LETM1) superfamily proteins and evaluated the role of the mitochondrial‐produced ROS in DON biosynthesis. Our results show that there are two Letm1 orthologues, FgLetm1 and FgLetm2, in F. graminearum. FgLetm1 is localized to the mitochondria and is essential for mitochondrial integrity, whereas FgLetm2 plays a minor role in the maintenance of mitochondrial integrity. The ΔFgLetm1 mutant demonstrated a vegetative growth defect, abnormal conidia and increased sensitivity to various stress agents. More importantly, the ΔFgLetm1 mutant showed significantly reduced levels of endogenous ROS, decreased DON biosynthesis and attenuated virulence in planta. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing that mitochondrial integrity and endogenous ROS production by mitochondria are important for DON production and virulence in Fusarium species.     

Liquid biopsies: DNA methylation analyses in circulating cell-free DNA

Analysis of patient's materials like cells or nucleic acids obtained in a minimally invasive or noninvasive manner through the sampling of blood or other body fluids serves as liquid biopsies, which has huge potential for numerous diagnostic applications. Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is explored as a prognostic or predictive marker of liquid biopsies with the improvements in genomic and molecular methods. DNA methylation is an important epigenetic marker known to affect gene expression. cfDNA methylation detection is a very promising approach as abnormal distribution of DNA methylation is one of the hallmarks of many cancers and methylation changes occur early during carcinogenesis. This review summarizes the various investigational applications of cfDNA methylation and its oxidized derivatives as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, prenatal diagnosis and organ transplantation monitoring. The review also provides a brief overview of the technologies for cfDNA methylation analysis based on next generation sequencing.