光果金樱子三萜类化合物的分离鉴定与抗SARS-CoV-2活性评价

为了解光果金樱子(Rosa laevigata var. leiocapus)的三萜类化学成分及其抗严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2活性(severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2)，运用多种色谱分离技术从其95%乙醇提取物中分离得到15个三萜化合物。根据理化性质及波谱数据，分别鉴定为：laevigaterpeneA(1)、2α,23-二羟基齐墩果酸(2)、1β-羟基蔷薇酸(3)、3β-(p-hydroxytrans-cinnamoyloxy)olean-12-en-28-oic acid (4)、3β-反式对羟基肉桂酰氧基-2α-羟基齐墩果酸(5)、2α,3α-二羟基-12-烯-28-齐墩果酸(6)、坡模酸(7)、桦木酸甲酯(8)、2α,3α,19α,23-四羟基-12-烯-乌苏酸(9)、乙酰基-11α-甲氧基-β-乳香酸(10)、阿江榄仁尼酸(11)、2α,3α,19α-trihydroxy-28-norurs-12-ene (12)、蔷薇酸(13)、2α,19α-dihydroxy-3-oxo-12-urse...     

植物激素与谷类作物籽粒发育

介绍了细胞分裂素、赤霉素、生长素和脱落酸与谷类作物籽粒发育之间的关系。     

Insecticide resistance status and mechanisms in Aedes aegypti populations from Senegal

Aedes aegypti is the main epidemic vector of arboviruses in Africa. In Senegal, control activities are mainly limited to mitigation of epidemics, with limited information available for Ae. aegypti populations. A better understanding of the current Ae. aegypti susceptibility status to various insecticides and relevant resistance mechanisms involved is needed for the implementation of effective vector control strategies. The present study focuses on the detection of insecticide resistance and reveals the related mechanisms in Ae. aegypti populations from Senegal.Bioassays were performed on Ae. aegypti adults from nine Senegalese localities (Matam, Louga, Barkedji, Ziguinchor, Mbour, Fatick, Dakar, Kédougou and Touba). Mosquitoes were exposed to four classes of insecticides using the standard WHO protocols. Resistance mechanisms were investigated by genotyping for pyrethroid target site resistance mutations (V1016G, V1016I, F1534C and S989P) and measuring gene expression levels of key detoxification genes (CYP6BB2, CYP9J26, CYP9J28, CYP9J32, CYP9M6, CCEae3a and GSTD4).All collected populations were resistant to DDT and carbamates except for the ones in Matam (Northern region). Resistance to permethrin was uniformly detected in mosquitoes from all areas. Except for Barkédji and Touba, all populations were characterized by a susceptibility to 0.75% Permethrin. Susceptibility to type II pyrethroids was detected only in the Southern regions (Kédougou and Ziguinchor). All mosquito populations were susceptible to 5% Malathion, but only Kédougou and Matam mosquitoes were susceptible to 0.8% Malathion. All populations were resistant to 0.05% Pirimiphos-methyl, whereas those from Louga, Mbour and Barkédji, also exhibited resistance to 1% Fenitrothion. None of the known target site pyrethroid resistance mutations was present in the mosquito samples included in the genotyping analysis (performed in > 1500 samples). In contrast, a remarkably high (20-70-fold) overexpression of major detoxification genes was observed, suggesting that insecticide resistance is mostly mediated through metabolic mechanisms. These data provide important evidence to support dengue vector control in Senegal.     

Molecular Convergence of Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are caused by mutations in diverse genes involved in different cellular functions, although there can be crosstalk, or convergence, between molecular pathways affected by different NDDs. To assess molecular convergence, we generated human neural progenitor cell models of 9q34 deletion syndrome, caused by haploinsufficiency of EHMT1, and 18q21 deletion syndrome, caused by haploinsufficiency of TCF4. Using next-generation RNA sequencing, methylation sequencing, chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing, and whole-genome miRNA analysis, we identified several levels of convergence. We found mRNA and miRNA expression patterns that were more characteristic of differentiating cells than of proliferating cells, and we identified CpG clusters that had similar methylation states in both models of reduced gene dosage. There was significant overlap of gene targets of TCF4 and EHMT1, whereby 8.3% of TCF4 gene targets and 4.2% of EHMT1 gene targets were identical. These data suggest that 18q21 and 9q34 deletion syndromes show significant molecular convergence but distinct expression and methylation profiles. Common intersection points might highlight the most salient features of disease and provide avenues for similar treatments for NDDs caused by different genetic mutations.     

Synthesis of protoporphyrin IX induced by 5-aminolevulinic acid in yeast cells in the presence of 2,2;-dipyridyl

5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA), a precursor of porphyrin synthesis, increased the production of various porphyrin compounds in Candida guilliermondii cells. Metalloporphyrins and protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) were predominantly accumulated, respectively, at ALA concentrations of 0.2-0.4 mM and at those higher than 1.5 mM. 2,2;-Dipyridyl which complexed with bivalent metals significantly increased the content of endogenous PPIX even at ALA concentrations lower than 0.5 mM. Under these conditions, the yeast sensitivity to photodynamic effect of visible light (400-600 nm) dramatically increased due to photosensitization by endogenous PPIX.     

Effects of halothane on mechanical response of skeletal muscle from malignant hyperthermia susceptible patients.

The purpose of this investigation was to compare the effects of halothane on malignant hyperthermia (MH) and normal isolated muscle bundle performance during isometric contraction and relaxation phases. Mechanical parameters were measured: peak tension (PT), time to peak tension (TPT) and positive peak of isometric tension derivative (+dP/dtmax) characterized the contraction phase. Half-relaxation time (RT1/2) and negative peak of isometric tension derivative (-dP/dtmax) characterized the relaxation phase. The ratio R = (+dP/dtmax)/(-dP/dtmax) was used to study the coupling between contraction and relaxation under isometric condition. In normal muscle, halothane increased PT by nearly 40% without altering TPT. The +dP/dtmax value increased concomitantly with the -dP/dtmax values, thus no changes in R was observed. In MH muscle, PT was first potentiated (0.5-1.0 vol% halothane) and then depressed (2.0-3.0 vol% halothane). TPT and +dP/dtmax were not altered whereas RT1/2 increased progressively with concomitant decrease in -dP/dtmax, thus R increased by nearly 40%. The amplitude of MH muscle contracture with stepwise concentrations of halothane was correlated with the increase of RT1/2 and R, and the decrease of -dP/dtmax. These results suggest that halothane alters the relaxation phase more than the contraction phase in MH human skeletal muscle compared to normal muscle.     

Impact of Annual Praziquantel Treatment on Urogenital Schistosomiasis in a Seasonal Transmission Focus in Central Senegal

In Sub-Saharan Africa, urogenital schistosomiasis remains a significant public health problem, causing 150.000 deaths/year with approximately 112 million cases diagnosed. The Niakhar district is a disease hotspot in central Senegal where transmission occurs seasonally with high prevalences. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of annual treatment over 3 years on the seasonal transmission dynamics of S. haematobium in 9 villages in the Niakhar district. Adults and children aged between 5 and 60 years were surveyed from 2011 to 2014. Urine samples were collected door-to-door and examined for S. haematobium eggs at baseline in June 2011, and all participants were treated in August 2011 with PZQ (40 mg/kg). After this initial examination, evaluations were conducted at 3 successive time points from September 2011 to March 2014, to measure the efficacy of the annual treatments and the rates of reinfection. Each year, during the transmission period, from July to November-December, malacological surveys were also carried out in the fresh water bodies of each village to evaluate the infestation of the snail intermediate hosts. At baseline, the overall prevalence of S. haematobium infection was 57.7%, and the proportion of heavy infection was 45.3%, but one month after the first treatment high cure rates (92.9%) were obtained. The overall infection prevalence and proportion of heavy infection intensities were drastically reduced to 4.2% and 2.3%, respectively. The level of the first reinfection in February-March 2012 was 9.5%. At follow-up time points, prevalence levels varied slightly between reinfection and treatment from 9.5% in June 2012 to 0.3% in March 2013, 11.2 in June 2013, and 10.1% April 2014. At the end of the study, overall prevalence was significantly reduced from 57.7% to 10.1%. The overall rate of infested Bulinid snails was reduced after repeated treatment from 0.8% in 2012 to 0.5% in 2013. Repeated annual treatments are suggested to have a considerable impact on the transmission dynamics of S. haematobium in Niakhar, due to the nature of the epidemiological system with seasonal transmission. Thus, to maintain this benefit and continue to reduce the morbidity of urogenital schistosomiasis, other approaches should be integrated into the strategy plans of the National program to achieve the goal of urogenital schistosomiasis elimination in seasonal foci in Senegal.     

文冠果XsSCL6基因的克隆及表达分析

GRAS家族HAM亚家族（Scarecrow-like 6，SCL6）是一类植物特有的转录因子，在植物生长发育中具有关键作用。文冠果（Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge）是我国特有的重要林木能源植物，雄花的雌蕊败育是造成产量低的主要原因。为解析XsSCL6基因在文冠果（Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge）雌蕊发育中的调控作用，采用RT-PCR方法克隆文冠果4个XsSCL6同源基因，并对关键XsSCL6a蛋白进行亚细胞定位；对XsSCL6基因进行生物信息学分析，利用qRT-PCR分析XsSCL6基因在文冠果雌蕊败育过程中的表达模式。结果表明：（1）获得文冠果XsSCL6a、XsSCL6b、XsSCL6c和XsSCL6d基因ORF全长，分别编码751、669、717和717个氨基酸，均属于亲水不稳定蛋白。（2）文冠果XsSCL6蛋白主要由无规则卷曲和α-螺旋构成，定位于细胞核。（3）XsSCL6a、XsSCL6c和XsSCL6d均包含GRAS保守结构域， 文冠果XsSCL6蛋白和克莱门柚及甜橙的亲缘关系最近。（4）文冠果XsSCL6基因启动子中包含多种激素响应元件、植物发育相关元件。（5）qRT-PCR结果显示XsSCL6基因各个时期在雄花中的表达量显著高于雌花，表达量的趋势和转录组FPKM值一致。（6）xso-miR171和XsSCL6基因均存在裂解方式的靶向关系，TPM值和FPKM值为负相关关系。XsSCL6基因可能受到xso-miR171调控，共同参与文冠果雌蕊发育过程，对文冠果花发育具有重要作用。本研究为今后研究进一步文冠果中XsSCL6基因的功能和雌蕊败育机制提供了参考，为采用分子育种方法提高种子产量提供了理论依据。