TRIM37 prevents formation of condensate-organized ectopic spindle poles to ensure mitotic fidelity

Centrosomes are composed of a centriolar core surrounded by pericentriolar material that nucleates microtubules. The ubiquitin ligase TRIM37 localizes to centrosomes, but its centrosomal roles are not yet defined. We show that TRIM37 does not control centriole duplication, structure, or the ability of centrioles to form cilia but instead prevents assembly of an ectopic centrobin-scaffolded structured condensate that forms by budding off of centrosomes. In ∼25% of TRIM37-deficient cells, the condensate organizes an ectopic spindle pole, recruiting other centrosomal proteins and acquiring microtubule nucleation capacity during mitotic entry. Ectopic spindle pole–associated transient multipolarity and multipolar segregation in TRIM37-deficient cells are suppressed by removing centrobin, which interacts with and is ubiquitinated by TRIM37. Thus, TRIM37 ensures accurate chromosome segregation by preventing the formation of centrobin-scaffolded condensates that organize ectopic spindle poles. Mutations in TRIM37 cause the disorder mulibrey nanism, and patient-derived cells harbor centrobin condensate-organized ectopic poles, leading us to propose that chromosome missegregation is a pathological mechanism in this disorder.     

非洲猪瘟病毒多基因家族研究进展

非洲猪瘟(African swine fever,ASF)是由非洲猪瘟病毒(African swine fever virus,ASFV)感染引起的一种急性、热性、高度接触性、致死性动物传染病.由于ASFV基因组庞大,变异能力强,免疫逃逸机制复杂,至今无有效药物和疫苗.近年来,对多基因家族的研究取得了很大的进展,可变区多基因家族拷贝数变化是导致ASFV变异的主要原因,且陆续发现多基因家族在决定细胞宿主范围、影响病毒毒力强弱、抑制Ⅰ型干扰素信号通路、抑制干扰素抗病毒效应和促进病毒蜱源感染中具有重要作用.本文对当前的ASFV多基因家族研究进展进行总结,阐述其在基因变异和病毒感染中的作用,以期为非洲猪瘟免疫逃逸机制的探索和疫苗的研发提供理论依据.     

桃儿七种子低温层积过程中胚形态及生理生化物质变化

为探究低温层积过程中桃儿七种子胚形态及生理生化变化与休眠解除的内在联系,该研究通过低温层积处理(90 d)解除桃儿七种子休眠,观测不同层积时间种子胚形态、胚率、发芽率、营养物质(淀粉、可溶性蛋白质、可溶性糖)含量、内源激素［赤霉素(GA)、吲哚乙酸(IAA)、脱落酸(ABA)］水平及呼吸途径关键限速酶［丙酮酸激酶(PK)、琥珀酸脱氢酶(SDH)、6 磷酸 葡萄糖脱氢酶(G 6 PDH)］的活性变化。结果显示：(1)在低温层积过程中,桃儿七种子胚形态为鱼雷或子叶型胚;种子发芽率在层积后期(60~75 d)显著提高(P＜0.05)。(2)层积后,种子内淀粉含量及PK活性、SDH活性显著降低(P＜0.05),其可溶性蛋白含量和IAA含量显著升高(P＜0.05),萌发促进物和抑制物比例(GA/ABA、IAA/ABA、GA+IAA/ABA)也呈升高趋势。(3)种子胚率与其可溶性糖含量呈显著负相关关系,种子发芽率与其可溶性蛋白呈显著正相关关系(P＜0.05)。研究发现,桃儿七种子无形态休眠;种子内营养物质的分解转化为种子休眠解除过程中各种代谢活动提供能量,且淀粉可能是此过程中最主要的供能物质;磷酸戊糖途径(PPP)的活化、萌发促进物和抑制物比例的升高及IAA含量的显著上升是桃儿七解除休眠的关键。     

草鱼呼肠孤病毒NS31蛋白在昆虫细胞中表达及互作多肽筛选

草鱼呼肠孤病毒(Grasscarpreovirus,GCRV)是引发病毒性草鱼出血病的主要病原.前期研究证实GCRV-S7基因片段编码NS31蛋白是GCRV的非结构蛋白,在病毒感染的中后期表达.为深入开展NS31的具体生物学功能,本研究从GCRV-JX01株病毒基因组中扩增NS31,克隆至pFastBacHTA载体;利用杆状病毒Bac-to-Bac系统成功表达携带his标签的重组蛋白his-NS31;Western-Blot和IFA实验表明重组杆状病毒能够感染昆虫细胞(Sf9)表达NS31,进一步通过his-Ni2+柱纯化NS31,SDS-PAGE鉴定蛋白约为30KD.运用噬菌体展示技术筛选噬菌体12肽库,研究NS31特异性结合多肽.挑取30个克隆进行DNA序列测定,结果表明NS31主要和2种多肽分子相互作用.进一步结合生物信息学分析表明上述多肽与草鱼基因组中6个基因具有同源性,提示其可能是NS31互作蛋白.本研究为深入探索NS31在病毒感染过程中的生物学功能奠定了重要基础.     

新型冠状病毒的相关研究进展

2019年12月出现于湖北武汉的一种新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)感染所致肺炎疫情,给人类生命安全造成威胁。迄今为止,对2019年出现的SARS-CoV-2的研究仍处于起步阶段,本文就其相关研究进展进行综述,重点阐述了目前关于SARS-CoV-2的病原学与致病机制方面的研究成果,同时对其流行病学以及该病毒引发的肺炎临床特点加以总结,有助于读者及时了解SARS-CoV-2最新的研究动态,并为今后开展治疗药物及疫苗研发提供方向。     

镉胁迫对吊兰及银边吊兰生长及镉富集特性的影响

选择吊兰和银边吊兰为试验材料,采用水培法研究其在不同Cd²⁺处理浓度(0、20、80、200 μmol·L^-1)下生长及生理特性的变化。结果表明: 20 μmol·L^-1镉对两种吊兰的影响较小,单叶面积、总叶面积、叶绿素(Chl)a含量、总叶绿素[Chl (a+b)]含量、类胡萝卜素含量、Chl a/Chl b值、胞间二氧化碳浓度(C_i)和蒸腾速率(T_r)与对照(CK)基本无显著差异;80 μmol·L^-1镉胁迫下两种吊兰叶片初始荧光(F_o)和非光化学淬灭系数(NPQ)升至最高水平;200 μmol·L^-1镉胁迫下,两种吊兰生物量、叶绿素含量、最大净光合速率(P_n)、气孔导度(g_s)、最大光化学量子产量(F_v/F_m)、实际光化学量子产量Y_(II)、转移系数(TF)以及各部分生物量均降至最低水平,而两种吊兰的过氧化物酶(POD)、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)及过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性和银边吊兰的丙二醛(MDA)含量均有不同程度的增加。随着镉处理浓度的增加,两种吊兰各器官Cd含量持续升高,且主要富集在根部;吊兰各器官Cd含量及富集系数(BCF)在胁迫处理下均高于银边吊兰。研究表明,两种吊兰对镉具有一定的耐性,其中吊兰对Cd的耐受能力强于银边吊兰,可考虑作为绿化植物用于修复镉污染水体或土壤。     

Congruent spatial patterns of species richness and phylogenetic diversity in karst flora: Case study of Primulina (Gesneriaceae)

The karst landform in southern China is renowned for its high levels of species diversity and endemism. Globally, karst ecosystems are under threat from unsustainable anthropogenic disturbance and climate changes and are among the most threatened ecosystems worldwide. In this study, we used the typical karst endemic genus in southern China, Primulina Hance, as a model to identify areas within the karst landform with high diversity and to investigate congruence between phylogenetic and species‐based measures of diversity. Using phylogenetic information and species distribution data, we measured geographical patterns of diversity with four metrics: species richness (SR), corrected weighted endemism (CWE), phylogenetic diversity (PD), and phylogenetic endemism (PE). Our results revealed a high spatial congruence among SR, PD, and PE, with hotspot areas identified in the Nanling Mountains (i.e., north Guangdong and northeast Guangxi) and southeast Yungui Plateau (i.e., north and southwest Guangxi), whereas the hotspots of CWE are comparatively uniform throughout the geographic extent. The categorical analysis of neo‐ and paleoendemism identified a pattern of mixed neo‐ and paleoendemism in numerous grid cells, suggesting that karst areas in southern China have acted as both “museums” and “cradles” of plant evolution. Conservation gap analysis of hotspots revealed that the majority of prioritized hotspots (>90%) of the genus are outside of protected areas, therefore indicating the limited effectiveness of national nature reserves for the karst flora. Overall, our results suggest that the karst flora merits more conservation attention and SR can be an effective surrogate to capture PD in conservation planning.