Comparison of mRNA expression patterns of class B scavenger receptors in BV2 microglia upon exposure to amyloidogenic fragments of beta-amyloid and prion proteins

The inflammatory responses in Alzheimer's disease and prion diseases are dominated by microglia activation. Scavenger receptors have been recently related to the innate immune activation of microglia initiated by endogenous ligands. In this study, we investigated mRNA expression patterns of B class scavenger receptors CD36 and scavenger receptor B1 (SR-B1) in BV2 microglia upon exposure to amyloid fibril Aβ(1-42) and PrP(106-126), respectively. CD36 and SR-B1 showed similar mRNA expression patterns following each treatment. PrP(106-126) induced a rapid increase of CD36 and SR-B1 mRNA levels in the treated microglia, whereas Aβ(1-42) induced a delayed but persistent increase in the mRNA expression of CD36 and SR-B1. These results suggest a possible involvement of CD36 and SR-B1 in microglial interaction with amyloidogenic fragments of beta-amyloid and prion proteins.     

Identification of two major QTL for yellow seed color in two crosses of resynthesized <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica napus</Emphasis> line No. 2127-17

Yellow seed color, which results from a thinner seed coat, is associated with improved feed quality of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) meal and increased oil and protein content. As this trait follows various genetic models under different genetic backgrounds, a study was performed in two genetic backgrounds to gain a better understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying yellow seed color. The quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis was undertaken using two crosses, Quantum ×No. 2127-17 (HZ-1) and No. 2127-17 × 94,570 (HZ-2). In the HZ-1 population, three putative QTL were detected in linkage groups N18, N5, and N3, respectively. For all of them, yellow seed color arose from the No. 2127-17 alleles. Of these QTL, the one in linkage group N18 (Bnsc-18a) explained more than half of the phenotypic variation. In the HZ-2 population, three QTL were found in linkage groups N9, N18, and N8, respectively. Of these QTL, that in linkage group N9 (Bnsc-9a) explained more than half of the phenotypic variation, whereas the QTL Bnsc-18a had a low seed color value and explained only 9.03–11.72% of the phenotypic variation. Bulked segregant analysis (BSA) of the extremes of a BC1 population derived from the cross of No. 2127-17 × 94,570 (HZ-3) identified one major gene that was identical with the QTL Bnsc-9a detected in the HZ-2 population. The QTL Bnsc-18a was common in the HZ-1 and HZ-2 populations, and the others were population-specific. These results suggested that different black-seeded forms had different seed color genes.     

Comparative genomics of the social amoebae <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dictyostelium discoideum</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dictyostelium purpureum</Emphasis>

Background

The social amoebae (Dictyostelia) are a diverse group of Amoebozoa that achieve multicellularity by aggregation and undergo morphogenesis into fruiting bodies with terminally differentiated spores and stalk cells. There are four groups of dictyostelids, with the most derived being a group that contains the model species Dictyostelium discoideum.

Results

We have produced a draft genome sequence of another group dictyostelid, Dictyostelium purpureum, and compare it to the D. discoideum genome. The assembly (8.41 × coverage) comprises 799 scaffolds totaling 33.0 Mb, comparable to the D. discoideum genome size. Sequence comparisons suggest that these two dictyostelids shared a common ancestor approximately 400 million years ago. In spite of this divergence, most orthologs reside in small clusters of conserved synteny. Comparative analyses revealed a core set of orthologous genes that illuminate dictyostelid physiology, as well as differences in gene family content. Interesting patterns of gene conservation and divergence are also evident, suggesting function differences; some protein families, such as the histidine kinases, have undergone little functional change, whereas others, such as the polyketide synthases, have undergone extensive diversification. The abundant amino acid homopolymers encoded in both genomes are generally not found in homologous positions within proteins, so they are unlikely to derive from ancestral DNA triplet repeats. Genes involved in the social stage evolved more rapidly than others, consistent with either relaxed selection or accelerated evolution due to social conflict.

Conclusions

The findings from this new genome sequence and comparative analysis shed light on the biology and evolution of the Dictyostelia.

     

Supramolecular copolymer micelles based on the complementary multiple hydrogen bonds of nucleobases for drug delivery

Novel supramolecular copolymer micelles with stimuli-responsive abilities were successfully prepared through the complementary multiple hydrogen bonds of nucleobases and then applied for rapid intracellular release of drugs. First, both adenine-terminated poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL-A) and uracil-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-U) were synthesized. The supramolecular amphiphilic block copolymers (PCL-A:U-PEG) were formed based on multiple hydrogen bonding interactions between PCL-A and PEG-U. The micelles self-assembled from PCL-A:U-PEG were sufficiently stable in water but prone to fast aggregation in acidic condition due to the dynamic and sensitive nature of noncovalent interactions. The low cytotoxicity of supramolecular copolymer micelles was confirmed by MTT assay against NIH/3T3 normal cells. As a hydrophobic anticancer model drug, doxorubicin (DOX) was encapsulated into these supramolecular copolymer micelles. In vitro release studies demonstrated that the release of DOX from micelles was significantly faster at mildly acid pH of 5.0 compared to physiological pH. MTT assay against HeLa cancer cells showed DOX-loaded micelles had high anticancer efficacy. Hence, these supramolecular copolymer micelles based on the complementary multiple hydrogen bonds of nucleobases are very promising candidates for rapid controlled release of drugs.     

退化红壤丘陵区森林凋落物初始化学组成与分解速率的关系

通过小盆+凋落袋控制试验,研究了我国南方退化红壤丘陵区8种森林凋落物和4种混合凋落物初始化学组成与分解速率的关系.结果表明:阔叶凋落物中的氮、磷、钾、镁含量显著高于针叶凋落物,木质素、碳含量显著低于针叶凋落物;凋落物分解速率与凋落物初始氮、磷、钾、镁含量呈显著正相关,与凋落物初始碳、木质素含量以及木质素/氮、木质素/磷和碳/磷值呈显著负相关;木质素含量解释了凋落物分解速率变异的54.3%,是影响分解速率的最关键因子,凋落物碳、氮、磷含量也与分解速率密切相关,它们与木质素含量一起可解释分解速率变异的81.4%.在退化红壤丘陵区植被恢复过程中,低木质素含量、高氮磷含量的阔叶物种的引入有利于加速凋落物的分解速率和土壤肥力的恢复进程.     

长期定位施肥对石灰性紫色水稻土古菌群落结构的影响

为了认识长期施肥对石灰性紫色水稻土培肥和肥力演化的作用,结合变性梯度凝胶电泳(denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis,DGGE)和限制性酶切片段长度多态性(RFLP)技术,研究了稻麦轮作下农家肥(M)、氮肥+农家肥(NM)、氮磷肥+农家肥(NPM)、氮磷钾肥+农家肥(NPKM)、无肥(CK)、氮肥(N)、氮磷肥(NP)、氮磷钾肥(NPK)等不同施肥制度对石灰性紫色水稻土古菌群落结构的影响.研究结果表明,长期定位施肥明显影响土壤中的古菌组成.在长期施用氮肥+农家肥、氮磷肥和氮磷钾肥+农家肥处理的土壤中,古菌多样性指数低于农家肥、氮磷肥+农家肥、无肥、氮肥和氮磷钾肥处理.在DGGE图谱的基础上,分别选择种植水稻和小麦的氮磷钾肥处理土壤样品,对古菌克隆子的16S rDNA序列进行了系统发育分析,发现水稻七古菌与各种土壤及水体环境的古菌极其相似.对DGGE图谱的聚类分析发现,不管是种植水稻还是小麦,8种施肥处理的古菌都聚在3个群里.种植水稻时,M和NPK处理下的土壤古菌聚成第一个群,NP处理下的聚成第二个群,另外5种施肥处理(NPKM,NM,Ck,N和NPM)聚成第三个群.种植小麦时,NPKM和M处理下的土壤古菌聚成一个群,NP处理下的聚成第二个群,N、NPK、NM、NPM和CK处理下的聚成第三个群.聚类分析结果显示,作物类型会影响土壤古菌群落结构.     

Liver development and cancer formation in zebrafish

Liver is the largest organ in the human body, and it regulates many physiological processes. Many studies on liver development in different model organisms have demonstrated that the mechanism of hepatogenesis is conserved in vertebrates. The identification of the genes and regulatory pathways involved in liver formation provides a basis for the diagnosis of liver diseases and therapeutic interventions. Hepatocellular carcinoma is the third leading cause of mortality worldwide. In the last decade, genetic alterations, which include the gain and loss of DNA, as well as mutations and epigenomic changes, have been identified as important factors in liver cancer. Many genetic pathways are dysregulated during carcinogenesis. Here, we review the gene regulatory networks that underlie liver organogenesis and the dysregulation of these pathways in liver cancer. The genes and pathways involved in hepatogenesis and liver cancer are largely conserved between zebrafish and humans, making this an ideal model organism for the study of this disease. A better understanding of liver development may aid in the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to liver cancer.     

Fate restriction in the growing and regenerating zebrafish fin

We use transposon-based clonal analysis to identify the lineage classes that make the adult zebrafish caudal fin. We identify nine distinct lineage classes, including epidermis, melanocyte/xanthophore, iridophore, intraray glia, lateral line, osteoblast, dermal fibroblast, vascular endothelium, and resident blood. These lineage classes argue for distinct progenitors, or organ founding stem cells (FSCs), for each lineage, which retain fate restriction throughout growth of the fin. Thus, distinct FSCs exist for the four neuroectoderm lineages, and dermal fibroblasts are not progenitors for fin ray osteoblasts; however, artery and vein cells derive from a shared lineage in the fin. Transdifferentiation of cells or lineages in the regeneration blastema is often postulated. However, our studies of single progenitors or FSCs reveal no transfating or transdifferentiation between these lineages in the regenerating fin. This result shows that, the same as in growth, lineages retain fate restriction when passed through the regeneration blastema.