Multiple chromosomal inversions contribute to adaptive divergence of a dune sunflower ecotype

Both models and case studies suggest that chromosomal inversions can facilitate adaptation and speciation in the presence of gene flow by suppressing recombination between locally adapted alleles. Until recently, however, it has been laborious and time‐consuming to identify and genotype inversions in natural populations. Here we apply RAD sequencing data and newly developed population genomic approaches to identify putative inversions that differentiate a sand dune ecotype of the prairie sunflower (Helianthus petiolaris) from populations found on the adjacent sand sheet. We detected seven large genomic regions that exhibit a different population structure than the rest of the genome and that vary in frequency between dune and nondune populations. These regions also show high linkage disequilibrium and high heterozygosity between, but not within, arrangements, consistent with the behaviour of large inversions, an inference subsequently validated in part by comparative genetic mapping. Genome–environment association analyses show that key environmental variables, including vegetation cover and soil nitrogen, are significantly associated with inversions. The inversions colocate with previously described “islands of differentiation,” and appear to play an important role in adaptive divergence and incipient speciation within H. petiolaris.     

Efficient deletion of LoxP-flanked selectable marker genes from the genome of transgenic pigs by an engineered Cre recombinase

Genetically modified (GM) pigs hold great promises for pig genetic improvement, human health and life science. When GM pigs are produced, selectable marker genes (SMGs) are usually introduced into their genomes for host cell or animal recognition. However, the SMGs that remain in GM pigs might have multiple side effects. To avoid the possible side effects caused by the SMGs, they should be removed from the genome of GM pigs before their commercialization. The Cre recombinase is commonly used to delete the LoxP sites-flanked SMGs from the genome of GM animals. Although SMG-free GM pigs have been generated by Cre-mediated recombination, more efficient and cost-effective approaches are essential for the commercialization of SMG-free GM pigs. In this article we describe the production of a recombinant Cre protein containing a cell-penetrating and a nuclear localization signal peptide in one construct. This engineered Cre enzyme can efficiently excise the LoxP-flanked SMGs in cultured fibroblasts isolated from a transgenic pig, which then can be used as nuclear donor cells to generate live SMG-free GM pigs harboring a desired transgene by somatic cell nuclear transfer. This study describes an efficient and far-less costly method for production of SMG-free GM pigs.

     

北方农牧交错带多伦县生态系统服务权衡与协同关系研究

科学理解生态系统服务的权衡/协同关系,对于正确指导生态系统可持续管理实践具有重要意义。以位于北方农牧交错带的多伦县为研究区,基于土地利用/覆被、气象、土壤类型、归一化植被指数(NDVI)以及社会经济统计资料等多种数据,分析了2000年、2015年食物供给、碳固持、土壤保持、防风固沙及产水量5种生态系统服务的时空变化,识别了5种服务的供给热点区,并基于相关分析法从县域、乡镇及不同地类3种尺度上对生态系统服务间的权衡/协同关系进行分析。结果表明:(1)2000—2015年,食物供给与土壤保持量增幅较大,产水量与碳固持的供给量增幅较小,防风固沙量大幅下降,5种服务的空间格局基本保持不变;(2)多伦县1类热点区面积明显增加,3类热点区面积明显减少;面积占比超过50%的草地提供5种服务的能力强于耕地;(3)多伦县生态系统服务的权衡关系主要存在于产水量与土壤保持、产水量与碳固持、产水量与食物供给三对服务中;由于研究区生态系统环境的空间异质性较强,各乡镇和两种地类(草地和耕地)上分别只有4对和3对生态系统服务的权衡/协同关系与县域保持一致;(4)不同土地利用类型、海拔、土壤类型等因素的组合使多伦县乡镇之间及乡镇与县域之间的权衡/协同关系存在明显差异。因此,在生态环境更为复杂的整个北方农牧交错带,更需选取合适的空间尺度进行生态系统服务的权衡/协同关系分析,以指导决策者制定合理的生态系统管理措施。     

Meiofauna promotes litter decomposition in stream ecosystems depending on leaf species

Litter decomposition, a fundamental process of nutrient cycling and energy flow in freshwater ecosystems, is driven by a diverse array of decomposers. As an important component of the heterotrophic food web, meiofauna can provide a trophic link between leaf‐associated microbes (i.e., bacteria and fungi)/plant detritus and macroinvertebrates, though their contribution to litter decomposition is not well understood. To investigate the role of different decomposer communities in litter decomposition, especially meiofauna, we compared the litter decomposition of three leaf species with different lignin to nitrogen ratios in litter bags with different mesh sizes (0.05, 0.25, and 2 mm) in a forested stream, in China for 78 days. The meiofauna significantly enhanced the decomposition of leaves of high‐and medium‐ quality, while decreasing (negative effect) or increasing (positive effect) the fungal biomass and diversity. Macrofauna and meiofauna together contributed to the decomposition of low‐quality leaf species. The presence of meiofauna and macrofauna triggered different aspects of the microbial community, with their effects on litter decomposition varying as a function of leaf quality. This study reveals that the meiofauna increased the trophic complexity and modulated their interactions with microbes, highlighting the important yet underestimated role of meiofauna in detritus‐based ecosystems.     

Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth ameliorate concanavalin A-induced autoimmune hepatitis by protecting hepatocytes from apoptosis

BACKGROUNDAutoimmune hepatitis is a serious autoimmune liver disease that threatens human health worldwide, which emphasizes the urgent need to identify novel treatments. Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED), which are easy to obtain in a non-invasive manner, show pronounced proliferative and immunomodulatory capacities.AIMTo investigate the protective effects of SHED on concanavalin A (ConA)-induced hepatitis in mice, and to elucidate the associated regulatory mechanisms.METHODSWe used a ConA-induced acute hepatitis mouse model and an in vitro co-culture system to study the protective effects of SHED on ConA-induced autoimmune hepatitis, as well as the associated underlying mechanisms.RESULTSSHED infusion could prevent aberrant histopathological liver architecture caused by ConA-induced infiltration of CD3⁺, CD4⁺, tumor necrosis-alpha⁺, and interferon-gamma⁺ inflammatory cells. Alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were significantly elevated in hepatitis mice. SHED infusion could therefore block ConA-induced alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase elevations. Mechanistically, ConA upregulated tumor necrosis-alpha and interferon-gamma expression, which was activated by the nuclear factor-kappa B pathway to induce hepatocyte apoptosis, resulting in acute liver injury. SHED administration protected hepatocytes from ConA-induced apoptosis. CONCLUSIONSHED alleviates ConA-induced acute liver injury via inhibition of hepatocyte apoptosis mediated by the nuclear factor-kappa B pathway. Our findings could provide a potential treatment strategy for hepatitis.     

Whole‐genome resequencing reveals the pleistocene temporal dynamics of Branchiostoma belcheri and Branchiostoma floridae populations

Global climatic fluctuations governed the ancestral demographic histories of species and contributed to place the current population status into a more extensive ecological and evolutionary context. Genetic variations will leave unambiguous signatures in the patterns of intraspecific genetic variation in extant species since the genome of each individual is an imperfect mosaic of the ancestral genomes. Here, we report the genome sequences of 20 Branchiostoma individuals by whole‐genome resequencing strategy. We detected over 140 million genomic variations for each Branchiostoma individual. In particular, we applied the pairwise sequentially Markovian coalescent (PSMC) method to estimate the trajectories of changes in the effective population size (N_e) of Branchiostoma population during the Pleistocene. We evaluated the threshold of sequencing depth for proper inference of demographic histories using PSMC was ≥25×. The PSMC results highlight the role of historical global climatic fluctuations in the long‐term population dynamics of Branchiostoma. The inferred ancestral N_e of the Branchiostoma belcheri populations from Zhanjiang and Xiamen (China) seawaters was different in amplitude before the first (mutation rate = 3 × 10^?9) or third glaciation (mutation rate = 9 × 10^?9) of the Pleistocene, indicating that the two populations most probably started to evolve in isolation in their respective seas after the first or third glaciation of the Pleistocene. A pronounced population bottleneck coinciding with the last glacial maximum was observed in all Branchiostoma individuals, followed by a population expansion occurred during the late Pleistocene. Species that have experienced long‐term declines may be especially vulnerable to recent anthropogenic activities. Recently, the industrial pollution and the exploitation of sea sand have destroyed the harmonious living environment of amphioxus species. In the future, we need to protect the habitat of Branchiostoma and make full use of these detected genetic variations to facilitate the functional study of Branchiostoma for adaptation to local environments.     

Is population subdivision different from speciation? From phylogeography to species delimitation

Species‐level diversity and the underlying mechanisms that lead to the formation of new species, that is, speciation, have often been confounded with intraspecific diversity and population subdivision. The delineation between intraspecific and interspecific divergence processes has received much less attention than species delimitation. The ramifications of confounding speciation and population subdivision are that the term speciation has been used to describe many different biological divergence processes, rendering the results, or inferences, between studies incomparable. Phylogeographic studies have advanced our understanding of how spatial variation in the pattern of biodiversity can begin, become structured, and persist through time. Studies of species delimitation have further provided statistical and model‐based approaches to determine the phylogeographic entities that merit species status. However, without a proper understanding and delineation between the processes that generate and maintain intraspecific and interspecific diversity in a study system, the delimitation of species may still not be biologically and evolutionarily relevant. I argue that variation in the continuity of the divergence process among biological systems could be a key factor leading to the enduring contention in delineating divergence patterns, or species delimitation, meriting future comparative studies to help us better understand the nature of biological species.     

Land masses and oceanic currents drive population structure of Heritiera littoralis,a widespread mangrove in the Indo‐West Pacific

Phylogeographic forces driving evolution of sea‐dispersed plants are often influenced by regional and species characteristics, although not yet deciphered at a large spatial scale for many taxa like the mangrove species Heritiera littoralis. This study aimed to assess geographic distribution of genetic variation of this widespread mangrove in the Indo‐West Pacific region and identify the phylogeographic factors influencing its present‐day distribution. Analysis of five chloroplast DNA fragments’ sequences from 37 populations revealed low genetic diversity at the population level and strong genetic structure of H. littoralis in this region. The estimated divergence times between the major genetic lineages indicated that glacial level changes during the Pleistocene epoch induced strong genetic differentiation across the Indian and Pacific Oceans. In comparison to the strong genetic break imposed by the Sunda Shelf toward splitting the lineages of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the genetic differentiation between Indo‐Malesia and Australasia was not so prominent. Long‐distance dispersal ability of H. littoralis propagules helped the species to attain transoceanic distribution not only across South East Asia and Australia, but also across the Indian Ocean to East Africa. However, oceanic circulation pattern in the South China Sea was found to act as a barrier creating further intraoceanic genetic differentiation. Overall, phylogeographic analysis in this study revealed that glacial vicariance had profound influence on population differentiation in H. littoralis and caused low genetic diversity except for the refugia populations near the equator which might have persisted through glacial maxima. With increasing loss of suitable habitats due to anthropogenic activities, these findings therefore emphasize the urgent need for conservation actions for all populations throughout the distribution range of H. littoralis.     

国产西罗莫司与原研品在体内外对细胞影响的比较实验

目的探讨国产西罗莫司与原研品对移植宿主外周血中免疫细胞的影响效果。方法体外实验:人膀胱癌T24细胞体外培养,分别加入国产西罗莫司和原研品,CKK-8法检测并比较细胞增殖活性受抑制的情况。体内实验:建立小鼠异位心脏移植模型,设立对照无手术组(对照组)、移植无治疗组(Tx组)、移植+国产西罗莫司组(Tx+YXK组)、移植+原研品组(Tx+RAPA组)。观察移植心脏搏动情况,受者脾脏的流式细胞学检测,以及脾脏及移植物中免疫细胞浸润的病理检查。流式细胞检测树突状细胞(DC),CD8+细胞和调节性T细胞(Treg),病理组织学检测及免疫组化染色比较两组免疫细胞浸润情况。两组间比较采用独立样本t检验,多组间比较采用单因素方差分析,两两比较采用LSD-t检验。结果体外实验结果显示,国产西罗莫司与原研品对T24细胞活力影响的差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。体内实验结果显示,Tx组移植心脏于第7天停止搏动,Tx+YXK组和Tx+RAPA组在第10天心脏搏动仍有力、节律正常。(1)脾脏流式细胞检测显示,与对照组、Tx组比较,Tx+RAPA组、Tx+YXK组CD11c+I-A+CD86+DC细胞(15.88±4.73、22.90±3.86比4.51±1.57、5.40±2.54)、CD8+淋巴细胞数量(6.32±0.98、6.75±1.34比3.03±1.12、3.23±0.97)均降低,而Tx+RAPA组CD4+CD25+Foxp3+阳性细胞数量(15.06±3.42比7.87±1.95,10.88±2.08)升高(P均<0.05)。Tx+YXK组和Tx+RAPA组3种免疫细胞数量差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。(2)移植心脏病理免疫细胞组化染色灰度分析,Tx组、Tx+YXK组和Tx+RAPA组CD4,CD8,IDO和CD11b数量差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),与Tx组比较,Tx+RAPA组和Tx+YXK组CD11c(25143.52±3525.12比12936.30±766.94、14240.60±3124.67)、Foxp3阳性细胞浸润数量(500.78±238.33比46.05±68.16、49.22±25.82)降低(P均<0.05),Tx+YXK组和Tx+RAPA组比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。(3)模型动物脾脏病理免疫细胞组化染色灰度分析,Tx组CD 4和CD8阳性细胞浸润数量较Tx+YXK组和Tx+RAPA组少,但差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),Tx+YXK组和Tx+RAPA组比较,各种细胞染色的IOD值差异均无统计学意义。结论使用国产西罗莫司与原研品两种药物后受者移植心脏和脾脏中的细胞浸润变化一致;在体外对细胞增殖、移植后抗排斥作用和体内免疫细胞的影响表现均一致。     

Dexamethasone does not ameliorate gliosis in a mouse model of neurodegenerative disease

Prolonged neuroinflammation is a driving force for neurodegenerative disease, and agents against inflammatory responses are regarded as potential treatment strategies. Here we aimed to evaluate the prevention effects on gliosis by dexamethasone (DEX), an anti-inflammation drug. We used DEX to treat the nicastrin conditional knockout (cKO) mouse, a neurodegenerative mouse model. DEX (10 mg/kg) was given to 2.5-month-old nicastrin cKO mice, which have not started to display neurodegeneration and gliosis, for 2 months. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blotting techniques were used to detect changes in neuroinflammatory responses. We found that activation of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) positive or ionized calcium binding adapter molecule1 (Iba1) positive cells was not inhibited in nicastrin cKO mice treated with DEX as compared to those treated with saline. These data suggest that DEX does not prevent or ameliorate gliosis in a neurodegenerative mouse model when given prior to neuronal or synaptic loss.