Whole-genome sequencing to detect mutations associated with resistance to insecticides and Bt proteins in Spodoptera frugiperda

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, is a major pest native to the Americas that has recently invaded the Old World. Point mutations in the target-site proteins acetylcholinesterase-1 (ace-1), voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) and ryanodine receptor (RyR) have been identified in S. frugiperda as major resistance mechanisms to organophosphate, pyrethroid and diamide insecticides respectively. Mutations in the adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette transporter C2 gene (ABCC2) have also been identified to confer resistance to Cry1F protein. In this study, we applied a whole-genome sequencing (WGS) approach to identify point mutations in the target-site genes in 150 FAW individuals collected from China, Malawi, Uganda and Brazil. This approach revealed three amino acid substitutions (A201S, G227A and F290V) of S. frugiperda ace-1, which are known to be associated with organophosphate resistance. The Brazilian population had all three ace-1 point mutations and the 227A allele (mean frequency = 0.54) was the most common. Populations from China, Malawi and Uganda harbored two of the three ace-1 point mutations (A201S and F290V) with the 290V allele (0.47–0.58) as the dominant allele. Point mutations in VGSC (T929I, L932F and L1014F) and RyR (I4790M and G4946E) were not detected in any of the 150 individuals. A novel 12-bp insertion mutation in exon 15 of the ABCC2 gene was identified in some of the Brazilian individuals but absent in the invasive populations. Our results not only demonstrate robustness of the WGS-based genomic approach for detection of resistance mutations, but also provide insights for improvement of resistance management tactics in S. frugiperda.     

钙对花生幼苗生长、活性氧积累和光抑制程度的影响

为探讨钙元素对花生幼苗生长的影响,以花育22为试材,用改良的Hoagland溶液进行培养,培养液钙离子(Ca2+)浓度分别为0、6和12 mmol/L(依次简称为CK、C6和C12),研究了不同Ca2+浓度培养下花生幼苗生长以及根系和叶片活性氧(ROS)的积累情况。结果表明,Ca2+显著提高花生植株的株高和鲜重,并降低根冠比,而且正常培养条件下,Ca2+显著提高根系活力、降低叶片和根系的ROS积累,而且C12幼苗的生理状态要好于C6。花生幼苗功能叶在高温(42℃)强光(1200μmol m-2s-1)胁迫处理下,与CK植株相比,C6和C12叶片的过氧化氢(H2O2)和超氧阴离子(O-2)的积累水平低、其叶片PSⅡ最大光化学效率(Fv/Fm)高、光系统Ⅱ(PSⅡ)的关闭程度低,而且C12幼苗的活性氧积累和光抑制程度都明显低于C6,表明高温强光胁迫下,Ca2+有利于减轻花生幼苗叶片的光抑制和ROS积累。C6和C12叶片的部分ROS清除酶活性以及有关渗透调节物质的含量明显高于CK,丙二醛(MDA)的含量明显低于CK,表明胁迫条件下Ca2+通过提高ROS清除酶活性和渗透调节物质含量降低ROS的积累和危害,保护花生类囊体膜从而保证花生正常生长。     

SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein causes acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)-like pathological damages and constitutes an antiviral target

Cytokine storm and multi-organ failure are the main causes of SARS-CoV-2-related death. However, the origin of excessive damages caused by SARS-CoV-2 remains largely unknown. Here we show that the SARS-CoV-2 envelope (2-E) protein alone is able to cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)-like damages in vitro and in vivo. 2-E proteins were found to form a type of pH-sensitive cation channels in bilayer lipid membranes. As observed in SARS-CoV-2-infected cells, heterologous expression of 2-E channels induced rapid cell death in various susceptible cell types and robust secretion of cytokines and chemokines in macrophages. Intravenous administration of purified 2-E protein into mice caused ARDS-like pathological damages in lung and spleen. A dominant negative mutation lowering 2-E channel activity attenuated cell death and SARS-CoV-2 production. Newly identified channel inhibitors exhibited potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity and excellent cell protective activity in vitro and these activities were positively correlated with inhibition of 2-E channel. Importantly, prophylactic and therapeutic administration of the channel inhibitor effectively reduced both the viral load and secretion of inflammation cytokines in lungs of SARS-CoV-2-infected transgenic mice expressing human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE-2). Our study supports that 2-E is a promising drug target against SARS-CoV-2.Subject terms: Cell death, Molecular biology     

TEB/POLQ plays dual roles in protecting Arabidopsis from NO-induced DNA damage

Nitric oxide (NO) is a key player in numerous physiological processes. Excessive NO induces DNA damage, but how plants respond to this damage remains unclear. We screened and identified an Arabidopsis NO hypersensitive mutant and found it to be allelic to TEBICHI/POLQ, encoding DNA polymerase θ. The teb mutant plants were preferentially sensitive to NO- and its derivative peroxynitrite-induced DNA damage and subsequent double-strand breaks (DSBs). Inactivation of TEB caused the accumulation of spontaneous DSBs largely attributed to endogenous NO and was synergistic to DSB repair pathway mutations with respect to growth. These effects were manifested in the presence of NO-inducing agents and relieved by NO scavengers. NO induced G2/M cell cycle arrest in the teb mutant, indicative of stalled replication forks. Genetic analyses indicate that Polθ is required for translesion DNA synthesis across NO-induced lesions, but not oxidation-induced lesions. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that Polθ bypasses NO-induced base adducts in an error-free manner and generates mutations characteristic of Polθ-mediated end joining. Our experimental data collectively suggests that Polθ plays dual roles in protecting plants from NO-induced DNA damage. Since Polθ is conserved in higher eukaryotes, mammalian Polθ may also be required for balancing NO physiological signaling and genotoxicity.     

锌离子响应转录激活因子ZafA对球孢白僵菌锌离子利用及生防潜能的影响

球孢白僵菌作为丝孢类昆虫病原真菌,已广泛应用于农林害虫的生物防治,但是田间多变的环境影响了真菌制剂的效能。此外,真菌侵染宿主后,宿主体内的环境也影响真菌的增殖和侵染速度。为研究球孢白僵菌对环境中酸碱度及微量元素的平衡能力,本研究初步探讨了锌离子响应转录激活因子ZafA与真菌生长繁殖、抗逆能力、毒力以及锌离子利用的关系。结果表明,敲除zafA削弱了真菌生长繁殖和孢子萌发的能力,增加了菌株对氧化、高渗、孢壁干扰剂以及紫外胁迫的敏感性,杀虫毒力显著下降,并抑制了相关性状基因的表达水平。基因敲除菌株无法在锌离子缺失的条件下生长,且zafA基因和锌离子转运蛋白编码基因zrf1–8的表达水平会受到酸碱度以及锌离子浓度的影响。由此可见,ZafA不仅直接影响球孢白僵菌利用锌离子的能力,还与球孢白僵菌抗逆能力和毒力密切相关,本研究为提高生防真菌环境适应性和发挥毒力提供新的依据。     

渤海浮游动物群落生态特点Ⅰ.种类组成与群落结构

以１９５９年全国海洋普查浮游动物中网周年标本为材料,对渤海浮游动物的群落结构进行分析。渤海浮游动物群落以近岸广温种为主,主要优势种包括小拟哲水蚤（Ｐａｒａｃａｌａｎｕｓ ｐａｒｖｕｓ）、双毛纺锤水蚤（Ａｃａｒｔｉａ ｂｉｆｉｌｏｓａ）、强额拟哲水蚤（Ｐａｒａｃａｌａｎｕｓ ｃｒａｓｓｉｒｏｓｔｒｉｓ）、拟长腹剑水蚤（Ｏｉｔｈｏｎａ ｓｉｍｉｌｉｓ）、墨氏胸刺水蚤（Ｃｅｎｔｒｏｐａｇｅｓ ｍｃｍｕｒ