Mitogenomes provide new insights of evolutionary history of Boreheptagyiini and Diamesini (Diptera: Chironomidae: Diamesinae)

Mitogenomes have been widely used for phylogenetic reconstruction of various Dipteran groups, but specifically for chironomid, they have not been carried out to resolve the relationships. Diamesinae (Diptera: Chironomidae) are important bioindicators for freshwater ecosystem monitoring, but its evolutionary history remains uncertain for lack of information. Here, coupled with one previously published and 30 new mitogenomes of Diamesinae, we carried out comparative mitogenomic analysis and phylogenetic analysis. Mitogenomes of Diamesinae were conserved in structure, and all genes arranged in the same order as the ancestral insect mitogenome. All protein‐coding genes in Diamesinae were under stronger purifying selection than those of other nonbiting midge species, which may exhibit signs of adaptation to life at cold living conditions. Phylogenetic analyses strongly supported the monophyly of Diamesinae, with Boreheptagyiini deeply nested within Diamesini. In addition, phylogenetic relationship of selected six genera was resolved, except Sympotthastia remained unstable. Our study revealed that the mitogenomes of Diamesinae are highly conserved, and they are practically useful for phylogenetic inference.     

丛枝菌根共生建成的信号识别机制

丛枝菌根(Arbuscular mycorrhiza,AM)共生是自然界中普遍存在的一种互惠共生现象,对促进土壤生态系统物质循环及维持生态系统稳定具有重要的意义。AM共生体的建立需要AM真菌和宿主植物间一系列复杂的信号识别、交换和传导。本文总结近年来相关文献,从AM共生体形成前期及AM共生体形成期两个阶段,分别综述了信号物质的生物合成过程、调控过程及其作用机制,希望有助于进一步认识AM共生体建成过程,同时通过分析当前研究工作的不足及未来研究动向,期望推动相关研究工作。     

SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein causes acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)-like pathological damages and constitutes an antiviral target

Cytokine storm and multi-organ failure are the main causes of SARS-CoV-2-related death. However, the origin of excessive damages caused by SARS-CoV-2 remains largely unknown. Here we show that the SARS-CoV-2 envelope (2-E) protein alone is able to cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)-like damages in vitro and in vivo. 2-E proteins were found to form a type of pH-sensitive cation channels in bilayer lipid membranes. As observed in SARS-CoV-2-infected cells, heterologous expression of 2-E channels induced rapid cell death in various susceptible cell types and robust secretion of cytokines and chemokines in macrophages. Intravenous administration of purified 2-E protein into mice caused ARDS-like pathological damages in lung and spleen. A dominant negative mutation lowering 2-E channel activity attenuated cell death and SARS-CoV-2 production. Newly identified channel inhibitors exhibited potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity and excellent cell protective activity in vitro and these activities were positively correlated with inhibition of 2-E channel. Importantly, prophylactic and therapeutic administration of the channel inhibitor effectively reduced both the viral load and secretion of inflammation cytokines in lungs of SARS-CoV-2-infected transgenic mice expressing human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE-2). Our study supports that 2-E is a promising drug target against SARS-CoV-2.Subject terms: Cell death, Molecular biology     

生物启发的细菌表面人造矿物壳:通过仿生矿化保护活细胞

【目的】生物启发的细菌表面仿生矿化人造矿物壳被用于保护活细胞。【方法】将细菌限制在坚固而完整的矿物壳中,有限的物理空间和物质交换使其暂时进行休眠,降低长期保存期间的活力损失以及提高在各种极端环境中的生存能力,并且能够通过酸去除矿物壳而重新激活细菌。【结果】相较于未仿生矿化的细菌(EcN),矿化细菌(EcN@CaCO₃)在32 d的储存实验中活力最高提升262倍;在pH 2.5的强酸环境中存活率提高837倍;在pH 12.0的强碱环境中存活率提高171倍;在80 ℃的高温条件下存活率提高59.1倍;甚至在抗生素溶液中,EcN@CaCO₃中细菌的存活率是EcN的729.7倍。【结论】本研究利用仿生矿化提高了细菌的保存稳定性,使其能在酸刺激下去除涂层恢复活性,也能在极端环境下保留细菌的活力,为微生物在环境生态、食品制造和生物医药等领域的应用提供研究基础。     

五氯酚在土壤生态系统中的环境行为研究进展

五氯酚在世界范围内广泛使用,在曾经使用过五氯酚的国家和地区的土壤和沉积物可以检测到五氯酚的残留,甚至残留五氯酚可通过食物链危及人类健康。综述了五氯酚在土壤生态系统中的吸附机制与影响因素、化学降解、生物降解及其影响因素、生物富集、生态毒理机理和效应。同时结合目前国内外的研究现状,提出了五氯酚在土壤生态系统中环境行为新的研究方向。     

基于遥感降尺度估算中国森林生物量的空间分布

森林生物量是陆地生态系统重要的碳库,其大小与空间分布特征直接影响森林的碳汇潜力。基于空间降尺度技术,以中国第六次国家森林资源清查资料为基础,同时结合1∶100万植被分布图及同期的基于MODIS反演的NPP空间分布,定量估算了1 km分辨率下我国森林生物量的空间分布。结果表明:(1)降尺度技术能有效结合遥感数据的空间特征与地面详查资料的统计特征,从而较好地解决当前生物量估算的区域尺度转化问题;(2)我国森林生物量存在明显的空间分布规律,与水热条件的空间分布格局基本一致,表现为西部较低东部较高,大型山脉分布处较高;(3)我国森林生物量总量11.0 Pg,平均生物量74.8 Mg/hm2,其中高值区主要集中在东北大小兴安岭和长白山地区、新疆山区、西南横断山脉地区以及东南武夷山地区。     

微生物学模块式自设计研究性实验的构建与教学实践

为了以低成本、低课时、高个性化方式让低年级学生既能学习基本实验技术,又都有机会参与研究性实验,构思了以基本实验技术为依托的微生物学模块式自设计研究性实验,即教师以模块式专题形式提出系列实验项目,学生自主选择题目、思考和设计、实施操作、分析结果而教师恰当指导的实验教学方式,并将其在3年4轮的微生物学实验教学中应用。详细叙述了模块式自设计研究性实验设计思路和实施方法及实施中学生和教师的行为与表现,并分析了从3个班级收回的包含34个问题的实验教学效果调查问卷,深入探讨了该方法存在的不足和改进方法。教学实践表明,这种教学方法不会导致教师数量、实验成本、学时数的显著增加,对于较大规模学生的研究性实验具有较强的实用性和可行性;144份学生反馈问卷中每个问题平均得分均在4分以上(满分5分),表明有利于提高学生的多方面素质,使学生受到基本的科学研究素质和能力的初步训练;88%-96%的学生认为它是有效的教学方式;研究性实验的形式、学生主动性、实验方案设计的科学性、实验结果分析和讨论等方面还有待完善。     

不同农业土地利用方式和管理对土壤有机碳的影响 ——以北京市延庆盆地为例

自20世纪80年代以来,我国农业土地利用方式和农田管理发生了巨大变化,由此引起的土壤有机碳（SOC）含量、密度及其垂直分布发生了相应的变化,研究不同土地利用方式和管理对土壤有机碳的影响对于探讨农田生态系统的固碳作用具有重要的意义.以北京市延怀盆地为典型研究地区,选择6种农业土地利用和管理模式,共计42块样地,在1m深土体内分层采集197个土壤样品.研究结果表明：（1） 不同农业土地利用和管理方式对SOC含量的影响主要发生在0～25 cm土层中,剖面中SOC含量自上向下明显降低.（2） 通过对6种土地利用和管理方式下土壤SOC含量进行比较,结果发现果园和高投入的玉米地土壤在0～100 cm土层中SOC含量均较高,变化范围分别为4.16～10.00 g kg^-1和4.73～9.31 g kg^-1; 菜地土壤在0～40 cm土层中SOC含量较高,变化范围为6.42～9.67 g kg^-1;大豆地、中、低投入玉米地土壤在0～100 cm土层中SOC含量较低,变化范围分别为3.27～7.73 g kg^-1、3.14～8.33 g kg^-1和1.83～7.67 g kg^-1. （3） 不同农业土地利用方式对SOC密度影响的趋势与对SOC含量影响的趋势基本一致,在0～100 cm土壤中,SOC密度的顺序为果园＞菜地＞高投入玉米地＞中投入玉米地＞大豆地＞低投入玉米地,变化范围为4.15～8.22 kg m^-2.     

Human C1orf27 protein interacts with α2A-adrenergic receptor and regulates its anterograde transport

The molecular mechanisms underlying the anterograde surface transport of G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) after their synthesis in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) are not well defined. In C. elegans, odorant response abnormal 4 has been implicated in the delivery of olfactory GPCRs to the cilia of chemosensory neurons. However, the function and regulation of its human homolog, C1orf27, in GPCR transport or in general membrane trafficking remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that siRNA-mediated knockdown of C1orf27 markedly impedes the ER-to-Golgi export kinetics of newly synthesized α_2A-adrenergic receptor (α_2A-AR), a prototypic GPCR, with the half-time being prolonged by more than 65%, in mammalian cells in retention using the selective hooks assays. Using modified bioluminescence resonance energy transfer assays and ELISAs, we also show that C1orf27 knockdown significantly inhibits the surface transport of α_2A-AR. Similarly, C1orf27 knockout by CRISPR-Cas9 markedly suppresses the ER–Golgi-surface transport of α_2A-AR. In addition, we demonstrate that C1orf27 depletion attenuates the export of β₂-AR and dopamine D2 receptor but not of epidermal growth factor receptor. We further show that C1orf27 physically associates with α_2A-AR, specifically via its third intracellular loop and C terminus. Taken together, these data demonstrate an important role of C1orf27 in the trafficking of nascent GPCRs from the ER to the cell surface through the Golgi and provide novel insights into the regulation of the biosynthesis and anterograde transport of the GPCR family members.