Identifying and annotating human bifunctional RNAs reveals their versatile functions

Bifunctional RNAs that possess both protein-coding and noncoding functional properties were less explored and poorly understood. Here we systematically explored the characteristics and functions of such human bifunctional RNAs by integrating tandem mass spectrometry and RNA-seq data. We first constructed a pipeline to identify and annotate bifunctional RNAs, leading to the characterization of 132 high-confidence bifunctional RNAs. Our analyses indicate that bifunctional RNAs may be involved in human embryonic development and can be functional in diverse tissues. Moreover, bifunctional RNAs could interact with multiple miRNAs and RNA-binding proteins to exert their corresponding roles. Bifunctional RNAs may also function as competing endogenous RNAs to regulate the expression of many genes by competing for common targeting miRNAs. Finally, somatic mutations of diverse carcinomas may generate harmful effect on corresponding bifunctional RNAs. Collectively, our study not only provides the pipeline for identifying and annotating bifunctional RNAs but also reveals their important gene-regulatory functions.     

光纤成像技术记录小鼠眶额皮层奖赏相关神经元活性的应用

目的:探讨光纤成像技术用于记录小鼠眶额皮层奖赏相关神经元活性变化的可行性。方法:应用光纤成像的方法记录自由活动小鼠在饮用糖水时,携带有钙离子荧光探针(GCaMP6m)的眶额皮层奖赏相关神经元的活性。首先,在小鼠的眶额皮层注射携带GCaMP6m的腺相关病毒,同时在相应位点植入提前做好的光纤陶瓷插芯;等待小鼠术后恢复,病毒表达2周。然后在记录前,给予小鼠36小时禁水处理并运用光纤成像记录接受糖水刺激的小鼠眶额皮层锥体神经元的反应活性。最后,记录数据读入matlab软件进行数据分析并对小鼠进行心脏灌流、取脑、脑组织冰冻切片并显微荧光成像观察记录位点是否正确,病毒是否正常表达。结果:成功记录到对小鼠施加糖水刺激时,其眶额皮层内与奖赏相关的神经元活性变化。数据分析结果用热度图和事件相关的平均线图来表示。组织学切片及成像结果证实记录位点正确,病毒正常表达。结论:光纤成像的记录方法可以监测自由活动的小鼠在饮用糖水时眶额皮层内奖赏相关神经元活性的变化。     

An TRIM59‐CDK6 axis regulates growth and metastasis of lung cancer

Lung cancer (LC) is a devastating malignancy with no effective treatments, due to its complex genomic profile. Using bioinformatics analysis and immunohistochemical of lung carcinoma tissues, we show that TRIM59 as a critical oncoprotein relating to LC proliferation and metastasis. In this study, high TRIM59 expression was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and tumour stage. Furthermore, up‐regulation of TRIM59 expression correlated with poorer outcomes in LC patients. Mechanistically, TRIM59 play a key role in promoting LC growth and metastasis through regulation of extracellular‐signal regulated protein kinase (ERK) signalling pathway and epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT)‐markers, as validated by loss‐of‐function studies. In‐depth bioinformatics analysis showed that there is preliminary evidence of co‐expression of TRIM59 and cyclin dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) in LC. Notably, CDK6 expression significantly decreased when TRIM59 was knocked down in the LC cells. In contrast, exogenous up‐regulation of TRIM59 expression also induced significant increases in the expression of CDK6. Moreover, the expression of CDK6 was also inhibited by the ERK signalling inhibitor, U0126. The results of both loss‐ and gain‐of‐function studies showed that TRIM59 could regulate the expression of CDK6. Collectively, these data provide evidence that TRIM59 is involved in lung carcinoma growth and progression possibly through the induction of CDK6 expression and EMT process by activation of ERK pathway.     

A molecularly imprinted polymer based chemiluminescence array sensor for one‐step determination of phenothiazines and benzodiazepines in pig urine

The residues of phenothiazines and benzodiazepines in foods of animal origin are dangerous to consumers. For inspection of their abuses, this study for the first time reported on the use of a chemiluminescence array sensor for the simultaneous determination of four phenothiazines and five benzodiazepines in pig urine. Two molecularly imprinted polymers were coated in different wells of a conventional 96‐well microtiter plate as the recognition reagents. After sample loading, the absorbed analytes were initiated directly by using an imidazole enhanced bis(2,4,6‐trichlorophenyl)oxalate–hydrogen peroxide system to emit light. The assay process consisted of only one sample‐loading step prior to data acquisition, so one test was finished within 10 min. The limits of detection for the nine drugs in the pig urine were in a range of 0.1 to 0.6 pg/mL, and the recoveries from the fortified blank urine samples were in a range of 80.3 to 95%. Furthermore, the sensor could be reused six times. Therefore, this sensor could be used as a simple, rapid, sensitive and reusable tool for routine screening for residues of phenothiazines and benzodiazepines in pig urine.     

Functional nano-catalyzed pyrolyzates from branch of Cinnamomum camphora

Cinnamomum camphora is an excellent tree species for construction of forest construction of Henan Province, China. The diverse bioactive components of nano-catalyzed pyrolyzates form cold-acclimated C. camphora branch (CCB) in North China were explored. The raw powder of CCB treated with nano-catalyst (Ag, NiO, ¹/₂Ag + ¹/₂NiO) were pyrolyzed at two temperatures (550 °C and 700 °C), respectively. The main pyrolyzates are bioactive components of bioenergy, biomedicines, food additive, spices, cosmetics and chemical, whose total relative contents at 550 °C pyrolyzates are higher than those at 700 °C pyrolyzates. There are abundant components of spices and biomedicine at 550 °C pyrolyzates, while more spices and food additive at 700 °C pyrolyzates. At 550 °C, the content of biomedicine components reaches the highest by ¹/₂Ag + ¹/₂NiO nanocatalysis, while the contents of spices and food additive components reach the highest by NiO nanocatalysis. At 700 °C, the content of bioenergy components reaches the highest by ¹/₂Ag + ¹/₂NiO nanocatalysis, and the content of cosmetics components reaches the highest by Ag nanocatalysis. The findings suggested that the branch of the cold-acclimated C. camphora have the potential to develop into valued-added products of bioenergy, biomedicine, cosmetics, spices and food additive by nanocatalysis.