PpASCL,the Physcomitrella patens Anther-Specific Chalcone Synthase-Like Enzyme Implicated in Sporopollenin Biosynthesis,Is Needed for Integrity of the Moss Spore Wall and Spore Viability

Sporopollenin is the main constituent of the exine layer of spore and pollen walls. The anther-specific chalcone synthase-like (ASCL) enzyme of Physcomitrella patens, PpASCL, has previously been implicated in the biosynthesis of sporopollenin, the main constituent of exine and perine, the two outermost layers of the moss spore cell wall. We made targeted knockouts of the corresponding gene, PpASCL, and phenotypically characterized ascl sporophytes and spores at different developmental stages. Ascl plants developed normally until late in sporophytic development, when the spores produced were structurally aberrant and inviable. The development of the ascl spore cell wall appeared to be arrested early in microspore development, resulting in small, collapsed spores with altered surface morphology. The typical stratification of the spore cell wall was absent with only an abnormal perine recognisable above an amorphous layer possibly representing remnants of compromised intine and/or exine. Equivalent resistance of the spore walls of ascl mutants and the control strain to acetolysis suggests the presence of chemically inert, defective sporopollenin in the mutants. Anatomical abnormalities of late-stage ascl sporophytes include a persistent large columella and an air space incompletely filled with spores. Our results indicate that the evolutionarily conserved PpASCL gene is needed for proper construction of the spore wall and for normal maturation and viability of moss spores.     

Imaging Calcium in Drosophila at Egg Activation

Egg activation is a universal process that includes a series of events to allow the fertilized egg to complete meiosis and initiate embryonic development. One aspect of egg activation, conserved across all organisms examined, is a change in the intracellular concentration of calcium (Ca²⁺) often termed a ''Ca²⁺ wave''. While the speed and number of oscillations of the Ca²⁺ wave varies between species, the change in intracellular Ca²⁺ is key in bringing about essential events for embryonic development. These changes include resumption of the cell cycle, mRNA regulation, cortical granule exocytosis, and rearrangement of the cytoskeleton.In the mature Drosophila egg, activation occurs in the female oviduct prior to fertilization, initiating a series of Ca²⁺-dependent events. Here we present a protocol for imaging the Ca²⁺ wave in Drosophila. This approach provides a manipulable model system to interrogate the mechanism of the Ca²⁺ wave and the downstream changes associated with it.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Enterococcus faecalis</Emphasis> promotes osteoclast differentiation within an osteoblast/osteoclast co-culture system

Objective

To investigate the effects of heat-killed Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212 and P25RC clinical strain (derived from an obturated root canal with apical periodontitis) on osteoclast differentiation within an osteoblast/osteoclast co-culture system.

Results

Heat-killed E. faecalis significantly increased the proportion of multinucleated osteoclastic cells (MNCs) within the co-culture system. The IL-6 level was significantly increased upon exposure to heat-killed E. faecalis. Gene expression levels of NFATc1 and cathepsin K were significantly up-regulated compared to the untreated control. EphrinB2 and EphB4 expressions at both the mRNA and protein levels were also significantly upregulated compared to the untreated control.

Conclusions

Heat-killed E. faecalis can induce osteoclast differentiation within the osteoblast/osteoclast co-culture system in vitro, possibly through ephrinB2-EphB4 bidirectional signaling.

     

白芨SSR引物筛选及群体遗传多样性研究

白芨(Bletilla striata Rchb.)为中国珍稀濒危植物,重要的药用植物。该研究基于Illumina测序技术构建白芨基因组文库和微卫星文库,设计白芨微卫星引物,用白芨4个野生种群80个个体对引物进行多态性检测,应用4个白芨近缘种中进行引物的通用性检测,并在此基础上分析了白芨的遗传多样性和遗传分化,以探讨白芨的遗传结构和进化潜能。结果表明:(1)白芨基因组中微卫星片断丰富,共检测出17 841条微卫星片断。基于白芨微卫星库对100个位点设计了引物对,经PCR扩增和检测筛选出能够稳定扩增的多态性位点20个,每个位点的复等位基因数(Na)在2~6之间,平均为3.85;20对引物的大部分能够在4个白芨近缘种中成功扩增。(2)白芨在物种水平均有较高的遗传多样性(Na=3.85,I=1.07,H=0.614 7),白芨种群遗传分化强烈(Gst=0.43),居群间的基因流较弱(Nm=0.867 6),居群聚类分析结果均表明地理距离较近的居群具有较近的遗传关系。     

镍钛形状记忆合金环抱器内固定术对多发性肋骨骨折患者术后疼痛、呼吸功能及肺部感染的影响

目的:探讨多发性肋骨骨折患者采用镍钛形状记忆合金环抱器内固定术治疗的临床效果。方法:选取2016年1月-2018年1月期间我院收治的97例多发性肋骨骨折患者。按照不同的治疗方法将患者分为对照组(n=47)和研究组(n=50),对照组患者给予胸部护板外固定术,研究组患者给予镍钛形状记忆合金环抱器内固定术。比较两组患者术后7 d的临床疗效,比较两组术前、术后7 d疼痛程度及呼吸功能情况,记录两组术后并发症发生情况。结果:研究组患者治疗后总有效率为92.00%(46/50),高于对照组患者的76.60%(36/47)(P0.05)。两组患者术后7 d视觉疼痛模拟评分量表(VAS)评分均较术前降低,且研究组低于对照组(P0.05)。两组患者术后7 d最大自主通气量占预计值百分比(MVV%)较术前升高,且研究组高于对照组(P0.05);两组患者术后7 d第1秒用力呼气肺活量占预计值百分比(FEV1%)比较无差异(P0.05)。研究组患者术后并发症总发生率8.00%(4/50),低于对照组的23.40%(11/47)(P0.05)。结论:多发性肋骨骨折经镍钛形状记忆合金环抱器内固定术治疗安全、有效,可明显减轻患者术后疼痛及改善呼吸功能,临床应用价值较高。     

不同树龄水曲柳半同胞家系生长性状变异研究

为筛选优质的水曲柳种质资源,以吉林省三岔子林业局国家水曲柳良种基地的16年生水曲柳子代测定林75个半同胞家系为材料,分别在第4、11和16年对其树高、地径（胸径）和材积进行测定。方差分析结果表明,不同变异来源各指标均达极显著差异水平（P<0.01）;各指标表型变异系数变化范围为22.20%~63.30%,家系遗传力变化范围为0.796~0.981;相关性分析结果表明各指标间均呈极显著正相关;以材积为评价指标,按10%入选率对家系进行评价选择,初步筛选8个优良家系,入选的家系材积平均值比总平均值高0.007 m³,遗传增益为36.03%;该研究选出的优良家系可为良种登记提供基础,也可为种子园的改建提供材料。     

An MAP kinase interacts with LHK1 and regulates nodule organogenesis in Lotus japonicus

Symbiosis receptor-like kinase(SymRK) is a key protein mediating the legume-Rhizobium symbiosis. Our previous work has identified an MAP kinase kinase, SIP2, as a SymRK-interacting protein to positively regulate nodule organogenesis in Lotus japonicus, suggesting that an MAPK cascade might be involved in Rhizobium-legume symbiosis. In this study, LjMPK6 was identified as a phosphorylation target of SIP2. Stable transgenic L. japonicus with RNAi silencing of LjMPK6 decreased the numbers of nodule primordia(NP) and nodule, while plants overexpressing LjMPK6 increased the numbers of nodule, infection threads(ITs), and NP, indicating that LjMPK6 plays a positive role in nodulation. LjMPK6 could interact with a cytokinin receptor, LHK1 both in vivo and in vitro. LjMPK6 was shown to compete with LHP1 to bind to the receiver domain(RD) of LHK1 and to downregulate the expression of two LjACS(1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase) genes and ethylene levels during nodulation. This study demonstrated an important role of LjMPK6 in regulation of nodule organogenesis and ethylene production in L. japonicus.