Exosome biogenesis,secretion and function of exosomal miRNAs in skeletal muscle myogenesis

Exosomes are membrane‐bound extracellular vesicles that are produced in the endosomal compartment of most mammalian cell types and then released. Exosomes are effective carriers for the intercellular material transfer of material that can influence a series of physiological and pathological processes in recipient cells. Among loaded cargoes, non‐coding RNAs (ncRNAs) vary for the exosome‐producing cell and its homeostatic state, and characterization of the biogenesis and secretion of exosomal ncRNAs and the functions of these ncRNAs in skeletal muscle myogenesis remain preliminary. In this review, we will describe what is currently known of exosome biogenesis, release and uptake of exosomal ncRNAs, as well as the varied functions of exosomal miRNAs in skeletal muscle myogenesis.     

Uncovering the evolutionary origin of blue anthocyanins in cereal grains

Functional divergence after gene duplication plays a central role in plant evolution. Among cereals, only Hordeum vulgare (barley), Triticum aestivum (wheat) and Secale cereale (rye) accumulate delphinidin‐derived (blue) anthocyanins in the aleurone layer of grains, whereas Oryza sativa (rice), Zea mays (maize) and Sorghum bicolor (sorghum) do not. The underlying genetic basis for this natural occurrence remains elusive. Here, we mapped the barley Blx1 locus involved in blue aleurone to an approximately 1.13 Mb genetic interval on chromosome 4HL, thus identifying a trigenic cluster named MbHF35 (containing HvMYB4H, HvMYC4H and HvF35H). Sequence and expression data supported the role of these genes in conferring blue‐coloured (blue aleurone) grains. Synteny analyses across monocot species showed that MbHF35 has only evolved within distinct Triticeae lineages, as a result of dispersed gene duplication. Phylogeny analyses revealed a shared evolution pattern for MbHF35 in Triticeae, suggesting that these genes have co‐evolved together. We also identified a Pooideae‐specific flavonoid 3′,5′‐hydroxylase (F3′5′H) lineage, termed here Mo_F35H2, which has a higher amino acid similarity with eudicot F3′5′Hs, demonstrating a scenario of convergent evolution. Indeed, selection tests identified 13 amino acid residues in Mo_F35H2 that underwent positive selection, possibly driven by protein thermostablility selection. Furthermore, through the interrogation of barley germplasm there is evidence that HvMYB4H and HvMYC4H have undergone human selection. Collectively, our study favours blue aleurone as a recently evolved trait resulting from environmental adaptation. Our findings provide an evolutionary explanation for the absence of blue anthocyanins in other cereals and highlight the importance of gene functional divergence for plant diversity and environmental adaptation.     

The mechanism of Single strand binding protein–RecG binding: Implications for SSB interactome function

The Escherichia coli single‐strand DNA binding protein (SSB) is essential to viability where it functions to regulate SSB interactome function. Here it binds to single‐stranded DNA and to target proteins that comprise the interactome. The region of SSB that links these two essential protein functions is the intrinsically disordered linker. Key to linker function is the presence of three, conserved PXXP motifs that mediate binding to oligosaccharide‐oligonucleotide binding folds (OB‐fold) present in SSB and its interactome partners. Not surprisingly, partner OB‐fold deletions eliminate SSB binding. Furthermore, single point mutations in either the PXXP motifs or, in the RecG OB‐fold, obliterate SSB binding. The data also demonstrate that, and in contrast to the view currently held in the field, the C‐terminal acidic tip of SSB is not required for interactome partner binding. Instead, we propose the tip has two roles. First, and consistent with the proposal of Dixon, to regulate the structure of the C‐terminal domain in a biologically active conformation that prevents linkers from binding to SSB OB‐folds until this interaction is required. Second, as a secondary binding domain. Finally, as OB‐folds are present in SSB and many of its partners, we present the SSB interactome as the first family of OB‐fold genome guardians identified in prokaryotes.     

马蔺IlWRKY28基因的克隆与表达分析

马蔺(Iris lactea var. chinensis)是鸢尾属多年生草本盐生植物,具有很高的耐盐性和观赏价值。为研究马蔺耐盐的分子机制,通过cDNA末端快速扩增技术(RACE)从马蔺中克隆到一个WRKY转录因子基因IlWRKY28,获得了1 302 bp的全长cDNA序列,其包含一个108 bp 5′末端非翻译区(UTR),一个174 bp 3′末端UTR和一个1 020 bp开放阅读框。IlWRKY28编码339个氨基酸,预测的蛋白质分子量为37.22 kD,等电点为7.04。氨基酸序列分析显示,IlWRKY28包含一个保守的WRKY基序和一个C2H2型锌指结构域。系统发育分析表明,马蔺IlWRKY28与菠萝(Ananas comosus)AcWRKY28和藏北嵩草(Kobresia littledalei)ClWRKY28亲缘关系最近。荧光定量PCR分析显示,盐处理后,IlWRKY28基因在马蔺地上部显著上调表达。该研究结果为进一步研究IlWRKY28在马蔺适应高盐胁迫中的功能和作用机制奠定了重要的分子基础。     

浙江水源地河流浮游动物多样性与环境因子的通径分析

为探明水源地河流浮游动物多样性及与水环境因子的关系, 利用浮游动物多样性参数监测水质, 2010-2014年间, 我们于每年的冬季(1月)、春季(4月)、夏季(7月)和秋季(10月), 对浙江2个水源地河流采样站(H1站和H2站)展开浮游动物种类组成、丰度和多样性指数的季节性调查, 同时测定水环境因子。结果表明, H1站和H2站浮游动物平均丰度分别为1,387.4 ind./L和873.0 ind./L, 小型浮游动物(轮虫 + 桡足类无节幼体)丰度分别占92.8% (H1站)和91.5% (H2站)。两采样站轮虫、枝角类和桡足类的优势种均为针簇多肢轮虫(Polyarthra trigla)、短尾秀体溞(Diaphanosoma brachyurum)和温剑水蚤(Thermocyclops sp.)。多元逐步回归与通径分析结果表明: 冬季氮磷比是轮虫类Shannon-Wiener多样性指数(H′)波动的限制因子, 主要通过总磷含量对轮虫类H′指数产生较大的间接正向作用; 春季氮磷比是轮虫类H′指数发展的决策因子; 秋季氮磷比可通过总氮含量对轮虫类H′指数产生较大的间接正向作用。冬季氨氮、总氮含量分别是甲壳动物体积多样性指数(Hs)的决策因子和限制因子。夏季溶解氧含量是总浮游动物物种丰富度(d)波动的限制因子, 主要通过pH值对d指数产生较大的间接正向作用, 作用机制表现为轮虫类H′指数随着夏季溶解氧含量的升高呈极显著上升(P < 0.01), 而甲壳动物Hs指数则显著下降(P < 0.05)。水源地河流环境因子与浮游动物多样性之间的相互关系为浙江水源地生态学监测提供了可能性。