Structure analysis of FAAP24 reveals single-stranded DNA-binding activity and domain functions in DNA damage response

The FANCM/FAAP24 heterodimer has distinct functions in protecting cells from complex DNA lesions such as interstrand crosslinks. These functions rely on the biochemical activity of FANCM/FAAP24 to recognize and bind to damaged DNA or stalled replication forks. However, the DNA-binding activity of this complex was not clearly defined. We investigated how FAAP24 contributes to the DNA-interacting functions of the FANCM/FAAP24 complex by acquiring the N-terminal and C-terminal solution structures of human FAAP24. Modeling of the FAAP24 structure indicates that FAAP24 may possess a high affinity toward single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). Testing of various FAAP24 mutations in vitro and in vivo validated this prediction derived from structural analyses. We found that the DNA-binding and FANCM-interacting functions of FAAP24, although both require the C-terminal (HhH)₂ domain, can be distinguished by segregation-of-function mutations. These results demonstrate dual roles of FAAP24 in DNA damage response against crosslinking lesions, one through the formation of FANCM/FAAP24 heterodimer and the other via its ssDNA-binding activity required in optimized checkpoint activation.     

Expression of artificial microRNAs in tomato confers efficient and stable virus resistance in a cell-autonomous manner

Expression of artificial microRNAs (amiRNAs) in plants can target and degrade the invading viral RNA, consequently conferring virus resistance. Two amiRNAs, targeting the coding sequence shared by the 2a and 2b genes and the highly conserved 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), respectively, were generated and introduced into the susceptible tomato. The transgenic tomato plants expressing amiRNAs displayed effective resistance to CMV infection and CMV mixed with non-targeted viruses, including tobacco mosaic virus and tomato yellow leaf curl virus. A series of grafting assays indicate scions originated from the transgenic tomato plant maintain stable resistance to CMV infection after grafted onto a CMV-infected rootstock. However, the grafting assay also suggests that the amiRNA-mediated resistance acts in a cell-autonomous manner and the amiRNA signal cannot be transmitted over long distances through the vascular system. Moreover, transgenic plants expressing amiRNA targeting the 2a and 2b viral genes displayed slightly more effective to repress CMV RNA accumulation than transgenic plants expressing amiRNA targeting the 3′ UTR of viral genome did. Our work provides new evidence of the use of amiRNAs as an effective approach to engineer viral resistance in the tomato and possibly in other crops.     

CTAB选择性沉淀和纯化质粒DNA工艺的建立

通过直接在大肠杆菌碱裂解上清中加入十六烷基三甲基溴化铵(CTAB), 优化CTAB与质粒DNA量的比例、质粒DNA选择性释放溶液的选择和TritonX-114的使用, 建立了简单、易行的大规模质粒DNA纯化工艺。纯化质粒DNA的质量检测结果显示, CTAB纯化的质粒DNA无菌体RNA污染, 菌体基因组DNA、内毒素和蛋白含量分别小于 100 ng/mg、50 EU/mg和10 mg/mg质粒DNA, OD260/OD280比值介于1.75~1.85之间, 超螺旋质粒DNA的比例大于80%, 该工艺纯化的质粒DNA能达到或接近FDA规定的人用质粒DNA的各项指标, 整个过程不使用动物源性酶和苯酚、氯仿、无水乙醇等有毒或易燃、易爆试剂, 成本低廉, 工艺环保。     

基于单片段代换系的水稻穗长QTL加性及其上位性效应

穗长是影响水稻(Oryza sativa)产量的重要因子之一, 研究水稻穗长QTL间的上位性效应对于发掘水稻产量潜力具有重要意义。该研究以16个单片段代换系(single segment substitution lines, SSSLs)和15个双片段聚合系(double segment pyramiding lines, DSPLs)为材料研究了水稻穗长QTL的加性及上位性效应。以P<0.01为阈值, 共检测到6个穗长QTL和9对基因互作座位。其中2个(Pl-2和Pl-10)是尚未报道的穗长QTL。穗长QTL互作后, 一些互作对的上位性效应与单个QTL的作用方式及效应大小各不相同, 预示着基因聚合后会产生不同的互作效应。该研究结果对于通过分子聚合育种手段改良穗长具有重要意义。     

Pseudomonas syringae type III effector AvrPtoB is phosphorylated in plant cells on serine 258, promoting its virulence activity

The Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato protein AvrPtoB is translocated into plant cells via the bacterial type III secretion system. In resistant tomato leaves, AvrPtoB acts as an avirulence protein by interacting with the host Pto kinase and eliciting the host immune response. Pto-mediated immunity requires Prf, a Pto-interacting protein with a putative nucleotide-binding site and a region of leucine-rich repeats. In susceptible tomato plants, which lack either Pto or Prf, AvrPtoB acts as a virulence protein by promoting P. syringae pv. tomato growth and enhancing symptoms associated with bacterial speck disease. The N-terminal 307 amino acids of AvrPtoB (designated AvrPtoB(1-307)) are sufficient for these virulence activities and for Pto-mediated avirulence. We report that AvrPtoB is phosphorylated by a Pto- and Prf-independent kinase activity that is conserved in several plant species, including tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), Nicotiana benthamiana, and Arabidopsis thaliana. AvrPtoB(1-307) was phosphorylated in tomato protoplasts, and mass spectrometry identified serine 258 as the major in vivo phosphorylation site of this protein. An alanine substitution of Ser(258) resulted in the loss of virulence and the diminution of avirulence activity of AvrPtoB(1-307), whereas a phosphomimetic S258D mutant had activities similar to wild type AvrPtoB(1-307). These observations suggest that AvrPtoB has evolved to mimic a substrate of a conserved plant kinase, leading to enhancement of its virulence and avirulence activities in the host cell.     

The N-terminal region of Pseudomonas type III effector AvrPtoB elicits Pto-dependent immunity and has two distinct virulence determinants

Resistance to bacterial speck disease in tomato is activated by the physical interaction of the host Pto kinase with either of the sequence-dissimilar type III effector proteins AvrPto or AvrPtoB (HopAB2) from Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. Pto-mediated immunity requires Prf, a protein with a nucleotide-binding site and leucine-rich repeats. The N-terminal 307 amino acids of AvrPtoB were previously reported to interact with the Pto kinase, and we show here that this region (AvrPtoB(1-307)) is sufficient for eliciting Pto/Prf-dependent immunity against P. s. pv. tomato. AvrPtoB(1-307) was also found to be sufficient for a virulence activity that enhances ethylene production and increases growth of P. s. pv. tomato and severity of speck disease on susceptible tomato lines lacking either Pto or Prf. Moreover, we found that residues 308-387 of AvrPtoB are required for the previously reported ability of AvrPtoB to suppress pathogen-associated molecular patterns-induced basal defenses in Arabidopsis. Thus, the N-terminal region of AvrPtoB has two structurally distinct domains involved in different virulence-promoting mechanisms. Random and targeted mutagenesis identified five tightly clustered residues in AvrPtoB(1-307) that are required for interaction with Pto and for elicitation of immunity to P. s. pv. tomato. Mutation of one of the five clustered residues abolished the ethylene-associated virulence activity of AvrPtoB(1-307). However, individual mutations of the other four residues, despite abolishing interaction with Pto and avirulence activity, had no effect on AvrPtoB(1-307) virulence activity. None of these mutations affected the basal defense-suppressing activity of AvrPtoB(1-387). Based on sequence alignments, estimates of helical propensity, and the previously reported structure of AvrPto, we hypothesize that the Pto-interacting domains of AvrPto and AvrPtoB(1-307) have structural similarity. Together, these data support a model in which AvrPtoB(1-307) promotes ethylene-associated virulence by interaction not with Pto but with another unknown host protein.     

Daphnetin attenuates LPS-induced osteolysis and RANKL mediated osteoclastogenesis through suppression of ERK and NFATc1 pathways

Aseptic prosthetic loosening and periprosthetic infection resulting in inflammatory osteolysis is a leading complication of total joint arthroplasty (TJA). Excessive bone destruction around the bone and prosthesis interface plays a key role in the loosening prostheses leading to revision surgery. The bacterial endotoxins or implant-derived wear particles-induced inflammatory response is the major cause of the elevated osteoclast formation and activity. Thus, agents or compounds that can attenuate the inflammatory response and/or inhibit the elevated osteoclastogenesis and excessive bone resorption would provide a promising therapeutic avenue to prevent aseptic prosthetic loosening in TJA. Daphnetin (DAP), a natural coumarin derivative, is clinically used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we report for the first time that DAP could protect against lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory bone destruction in a murine calvarial osteolysis model in vivo. This protective effect of DAP can in part be attributed to its direct inhibitory effect on RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation, fusion, and bone resorption in vitro. Biochemical analysis found that DAP inhibited the activation of the ERK and NFATc1 signaling cascades. Collectively, our findings suggest that DAP as a natural compound has potential for the treatment of inflammatory osteolysis.     

Evaluations of Alkyl hydroperoxide reductase B cell antigen epitope as a potential epitope vaccine against Campylobacter jejuni

ObjectiveThe present study aimed to screen and find alkyl hydroperoxide reductase (AhpC) B cell dominant epitope of Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni).Materials and methodsBio-informatic algorithms were used to predict B cell epitopes of AhpC. The AhpC protein and chemically synthesized antigenic epitopes of C. jejuni were considered as antigens, and the AhpC antibody was used as the primary antibody, ELISA and dot blot were used to analyze and screen the dominant epitope. The specific IgG of mice serum and IL-4 in splenocyte culture supernatant were detected by ELISA. The protective efficacy was evaluated by animal disease index and tissue histopathological staining of the jejunum.ResultsSeven epitopes of AhpC were predicted, one epitope (AhpC_4–16) was found to recognize the antibodies of AhpC and had strong antigenicity by ELISA and dot blot analysis. In epitope AhpC_4–16 immunized mice, specific IgG of serum and IL-4 in splenocyte culture supernatant were significantly higher. The illness index decreased significantly, the protective rate was 66.67%. Histopathology displayed that the jejunum morphology was better than the control group.ConclusionsThese findings suggested that epitope AhpC_4–16 showed effective protective role against C. jejuni and is a candidate epitope of vaccine against this pathogen.     

Natural variation of TaGASR7-A1 affects grain length in common wheat under multiple cultivation conditions

GASR7 is a member of Snakin/GASA gene family in higher plants and has been found associated with grain length (GL) in rice and wheat under normal growth conditions. Here, we report the characterization of three distinct TaGASR7 homoeologs (TaGASR7-A1, TaGASR7-B1 and TaGASR7-D1) in common wheat and their deduced proteins and haplotype variation. TaGASR7 homoeologs were located on wheat group 7 chromosomes. Compared with previously characterized Snakin/GASA members, the central region in deduced TaGASR7 proteins and their orthologs was unique in containing a polyglycine tract. Through analyzing longer genomic sequence, more nucleotide differences were found for the two previously reported major haplotypes (H1c and H1g) of TaGASR7-A1. In contrast, no haplotype variation was detected for TaGASR7-B1 and TaGASR7-D1 in the 94 elite common wheat varieties examined. H1c, but not H1g, tended to associate with larger GL values in nine cultivation environments differing in water and nutrient application. However, the positive association between H1c and other grain traits (grain weight and yield) was affected by cultivation environment. Both H1c- and H1g-type alleles were more highly expressed in the unfertilized caryopses and those collected at 5 days after flowering (DAF). Interestingly, at 5 DAF, the expression level of H1c-type alleles was significantly lower than that of H1g-type alleles. By combining our data with those published previously, we suggest that TaGASR7-A1 is mainly a genetic determinant of GL in wheat with pleiotropic effects on grain weight and yield. Potential mechanism underlying TaGASR7-A1 function and its utility in enhancing genetic and breeding studies of wheat grain morphometric and yield traits are discussed.