Development of new strains and related SCAR markers for an edible mushroom, Hypsizygus marmoreus

New fast-growing and less bitter varieties of Hypsizygus marmoreus were developed by crossing monokaryotic mycelia from a commercial strain (Hm1-1) and a wild strain (Hm3-10). Six of the better tasting new strains with a shorter cultivation period were selected from 400 crosses in a large-scale cultivation experiment. We attempted to develop sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers to identify the new strain from other commercial strains. For the SCAR markers, we conducted molecular genetic analysis on a wild strain and the eight most cultivated H. marmoreus strains collected from various areas in East Asia by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA. Ten unique DNA bands for a commercial Hm1-1 strain and the Hm3-10 strain were extracted and their sequences were determined. Primer sets were designed based on the determined sequences. PCR reactions with the primer sets revealed that four primer sets successfully discriminated the new strains from other commercial strains and are thus suitable for commercial purposes.     

消毒剂对环境菌株抑制作用的研究

目的 研究企业常用消毒剂对于洁净室环境监测分离的菌株样本的抑制作用。方法 通过VITEK2-COMPACT全自动细菌鉴定及药敏分析系统鉴定收集到的环境菌株。对3种消毒剂(碘伏、无水乙醇和苯扎溴铵)进行梯度稀释,利用打孔法研究3种消毒剂在不同含量下对环境菌株的抑制作用。结果 共检出革兰阳性菌8种、革兰阴性菌2种、酵母菌1种、芽孢杆菌2种;苯扎溴铵对革兰阳性菌的抑菌能力都较强,随着含量的降低,抑菌作用逐渐减弱;碘伏对革兰阴性菌及酵母菌的抑制作用都非常强,随着含量降低,抑菌作用逐渐降低。3种消毒剂对2种芽孢杆菌的抑制作用均有限。结论 用1.00%苯扎溴铵和0.50%的碘伏抑菌作用都非常强。另外,应配合使用杀孢子剂,避免芽孢杆菌孢子在空气中传播。     

Genome-Wide Association Studies in an Isolated Founder Population from the Pacific Island of Kosrae

It has been argued that the limited genetic diversity and reduced allelic heterogeneity observed in isolated founder populations facilitates discovery of loci contributing to both Mendelian and complex disease. A strong founder effect, severe isolation, and substantial inbreeding have dramatically reduced genetic diversity in natives from the island of Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia, who exhibit a high prevalence of obesity and other metabolic disorders. We hypothesized that genetic drift and possibly natural selection on Kosrae might have increased the frequency of previously rare genetic variants with relatively large effects, making these alleles readily detectable in genome-wide association analysis. However, mapping in large, inbred cohorts introduces analytic challenges, as extensive relatedness between subjects violates the assumptions of independence upon which traditional association test statistics are based. We performed genome-wide association analysis for 15 quantitative traits in 2,906 members of the Kosrae population, using novel approaches to manage the extreme relatedness in the sample. As positive controls, we observe association to known loci for plasma cholesterol, triglycerides, and C-reactive protein and to a compelling candidate loci for thyroid stimulating hormone and fasting plasma glucose. We show that our study is well powered to detect common alleles explaining ≥5% phenotypic variance. However, no such large effects were observed with genome-wide significance, arguing that even in such a severely inbred population, common alleles typically have modest effects. Finally, we show that a majority of common variants discovered in Caucasians have indistinguishable effect sizes on Kosrae, despite the major differences in population genetics and environment.     

鳜碱性肌球蛋白轻链基因cDNA的克隆及其发育表达分析

肌球蛋白轻链是构成鱼类肌纤维主要组成部分,在鱼类肌肉生长和收缩过程中具有重要作用。鳜鱼具有生长快、肉质细嫩、味道鲜美、营养成分高等优良的性状。研究通过构建鳜肌肉组织cDNA文库分离到两个碱性肌球蛋白轻链基因,即MLC1和MLC3基因。序列分析显示MLC1和MLC3基因cDNA序列全长分别为1237bp和1070bp,分别编码192和150个氨基酸,除去MLC1N端多出的42个氨基酸残基,MLC1与MLC3氨基酸序列同源性为80.3%。通过PROSITEtools软件预测显示两种轻链都具有两个保守的EF-手相结构,其中第二个EF-hand结构除前三个氨基酸外同源性达100%。鱼类MLC3轻链N端没有高等脊椎动物MLC3特有标志序列。采用实时荧光定量PCR方法对鳜鱼MLC1和MLC3发育性表达分析表明,在原肠期开始有低量表达,与原肠期、尾芽期和肌肉效应期相比,心搏期和仔鱼期MLC1和MLC3表达量显著升高。研究结果首次提供了鳜肌肉组织肌球蛋白主要结构基因的分子生物学信息以及它们在鳜肌肉组织发生和功能的相关性。       

Synthesis, characterization and supramolecular structures of two Ni(II) complexes with potentially heptadentate ligand N,N-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)-1,3-bis[(2-aminoethyl)amino]-2-propanol

A potentially heptadentate ligand H₃L (N,N^′-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)-1,3-bis[(2-aminoethyl)amino]-2-propanol) and its two Ni(II) complexes, [Ni(H₂L)H₂O](H₂O)₃ClO₄ (1) and [Ni(H₂L)(H₂O)](H₂O)Cl (2) were prepared and characterized. X-ray structural analyses indicate that complex 1 has a distorted octahedral coordination geometry, with four amine N atoms of H₂L⁻ defining the equatorial plane, one aqua O atom and one phenoxo O atom of the ligand occupying two axial positions, respectively. The Ni(II) center of 2 has coordination geometry similar to that of 1. IR and electronic spectra of 1 and 2 are in agreement with their crystal structural features. Approximately along the ab plane, 2D supramolecular structure of 1 is assembled through multiple hydrogen bonds between hydroxy groups of the ligands, coordinated and crystal lattice H₂O and π-π stacking interactions between adjacent phenyl rings of the ligands, while for that of 2, probably along the a axis, 1D chain structure is also formed by multiple hydrogen bonds, but lack of π-π stacking interactions.     

Discovery of thieno[2,3-c]pyridines as potent COT inhibitors

Evaluation of hit chemotypes from high throughput screening identified a novel series of 2,4-disubstituted thieno[2,3-c]pyridines as COT kinase inhibitors. Structural modifications exploring SAR at the 2- and 4-positions resulting in inhibitors with improved enzyme potency and cellular activity are disclosed.     

Association of single-nucleotide polymorphisms in RHOB and TXNDC3 with knee osteoarthritis susceptibility: two case-control studies in East Asian populations and a meta-analysis

Introduction

Conflicting findings on the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in RHOB and TXNDC3 with susceptibility to knee osteoarthritis (OA) have been reported in European Caucasians. To examine the associations of these SNPs with OA in East Asian populations and to evaluate their global significance, we conducted two case-control studies in 955 Chinese and 750 Japanese patients.

Methods

We genotyped the previously implicated SNPs rs585017 (in RHOB) and rs4720262 (in TXNDC3) in patients with primary symptomatic knee OA with radiographic confirmation and in matched control individuals, and analyzed their associations. We further conducted a meta-analysis of the study findings together with those of previously reported European studies using the DerSimonian-Laird procedure.

Results

A significant association of RHOB with knee OA was observed in male Chinese patients (P = 0.02). No significant associations were found for RHOB in any other comparisons in the East Asian populations. The association of TXNDC3 was replicated in Chinese female (P = 0.04) and Japanese (P = 0.03) patients, although none of these associations persisted after Bonferroni correction. Significant association (P = 0.02 for the allelic frequency) with nonsignificant heterogeneity was found in the East Asian replication study. No significant association was found in any comparison in the meta-analysis for all studies.

Conclusion

Our study replicates the association, previously reported in European Caucasians, of TXNDC3 with knee OA susceptibility in an East Asian population.     

Anti-adhesive Property of Maize Leaf Surface Related with Temperature and Humidity

The anti-adhesive surfaces have always aroused great interest of worldwide scientists and engineers.But in practical applications,it often faces the threat and impact of temperature and humidity.In this work,the excellent anti-adhesive performance of maize leaf under high temperature and humidity were investigated in detail.Firstly,the adhesion forces of the maize leaf surface under different temperature and humidity were measured by using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM).The temperature of the substrate was varied between 23 ℃ to 100 ℃,and the ambient relative humidity is from 18％ to 100％.It was found that the adhesion force of maize leaf decreased with the increase of temperature and humidity.The mechanism of its excellent anti-adhesive performance of maize leaf under high temperature and relative humidity was revealed.The transverse and longitudinal ridges on maize leaf surface interlace with each other,forming small air pockets,which reduces the actual contact area between the object and the maize leaf.With the increase of humidity,the liquid film will be formed in the air pockets gradually and so much water vapor is produced with increase of temperature.Then the air flow rate increases though the wavy top of transverse ridges,inducing the dramatic decrease of adhesion force.Inspired by this mechanism,four samples with this bionic structure were made.This functional "biomimetic structure" would have potential value in the wide medical equipments such as high frequency electric knife with anti-adhesion surface under high temperature and high humidity.