Rapid improvement of rice eating and cooking quality through gene editing toward glutelin as target

Rice eating and cooking quality(ECQ) is a major concern of breeders and consumers, determining market competitiveness worldwide. Rice grain protein content(GPC) is negatively related to ECQ,making it possible to improve ECQ by manipulating GPC. However, GPC is genetically complex and sensitive to environmental conditions; therefore, little progress has been made in traditional breeding for ECQ. Here, we report that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of genes encoding the grain storage protein gluteli...     

Rhizosphere soil bacterial communities and nitrogen cycling affected by deciduous and evergreen tree species

Deciduous and evergreen trees differ in their responses to drought and nitrogen (N) demand. Whether or not these functional types affect the role of the bacterial community in the N cycle during drought remains uncertain. Two deciduous tree species (Alnus cremastogyne, an N₂‐fixing species, and Liquidambar formosana) and two evergreen trees (Cunninghamia lanceolata and Pinus massoniana) were used to assess factors in controlling rhizosphere soil bacterial community and N cycling functions. Photosynthetic rates and biomass production of plants, 16S rRNA sequencing and N‐cycling‐related genes of rhizosphere soil were measured. The relative abundance of the phyla Actinobacteria and Firmicutes was higher, and that of Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Gemmatimondaetes was lower in rhizosphere soil of deciduous trees than that of evergreen. Beta‐diversity of bacterial community also significantly differed between the two types of trees. Deciduous trees showed significantly higher net photosynthetic rates and biomass production than evergreen species both at well water condition and short‐term drought. Root biomass was the most important factor in driving soil bacterial community and N‐cycling functions than total biomass and aboveground biomass. Furthermore, 44 bacteria genera with a decreasing response and 46 taxa showed an increased response along the root biomass gradient. Regarding N‐cycle‐related functional genes, copy numbers of ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and autotrophic ammonia‐oxidizing archaea (AOA), N₂ fixation gene (nifH), and denitrification genes (nirK, nirS) were significantly higher in the soil of deciduous trees than in that of the evergreen. Structural equation models explained 50.2%, 47.6%, 48.6%, 49.4%, and 37.3% of the variability in copy numbers of nifH, AOB, AOA, nirK, and nirS, respectively, and revealed that root biomass had significant positive effects on copy numbers of all N‐cycle functional genes. In conclusion, root biomass played key roles in affecting bacterial community structure and soil N cycling. Our findings have important implications for our understanding of plants control over bacterial community and N‐cycling function in artificial forest ecosystems.     

辽东栎林下和开阔地上短柄五加(Acanthopanax brachpus)无性系种群生长的比较研究

研究了分布于开阔地和辽东栎林下短柄五加无性系种群拆散方式、无性系的形态可塑性和分株的死亡年龄,研究结果表明,开阔地上无性系分株的扩散方式为稀疏线型,根茎长度、无性系分株数目,林下和开阔地差异显著,根茎分枝角度、无性系根茎总长无显著性差异。林下分株的死亡年龄显著小于开阔地上无性系分株的死亡年龄。     

Lithocholic acid inhibits dendritic cell activation by reducing intracellular glutathione via TGR5 signaling

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the major antigen-presenting cells and play an important role in autoimmune uveitis. Emerging evidence suggests that bile acids (BAs) regulate DCs maturation. However, the underlying mechanisms by which BAs regulate the function of DCs still need to be clarified. Here, we demonstrate that lithocholic acid (LCA) inhibits the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the expression of surface molecules in bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs). LCA attenuates the severity of EAU by modulating the maturation of splenic CD11C⁺MHCII^high DCs. Notably, Takeda G-protein coupled receptor 5 (TGR5) deficiency partially reverses the inhibitory effect of LCA on DCs in vitro and in vivo. TGR5 activation also downregulates the NF-κB and MAPK pathways by inhibiting glutathione production and inducing oxidative stress in DCs, which leads to apoptosis and autophagy in DCs. In addition, LCA or INT-777 treatment increases the TGR5 expression in monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MD-DCs) of patients with active BD, whereas both LCA and TGR5 agonists inhibit the activation of MD-DCs. These results suggest that LCA and TGR5 agonists might be potential therapeutic drugs for the treatment of autoimmune uveitis.     

shRNA‑mediated knockdown of KNTC1 inhibits non-small-cell lung cancer through regulating PSMB8

In view of the important roles played by Kinetochore proteins in mitosis, we believed that they may contribute to the development and progression of human cancers, which has been reported recently elsewhere. Kinetochore-associated 1 (KNTC1) participates in the segregation of sister chromatids during mitosis, the effects of which on non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain unclear. Here, we sought to identify the biological significance of KNTC1 in NSCLC. KNTC1 protein expression in NSCLC tissues was investigated by immunohistochemistry. Lentivirus delivered short hairpin RNA (shRNA) was utilized to establish KNTC1 silence NSCLC cell lines. The effects of KNTC1 depletion on NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and tumor formation were analyzed by MTT assay, wound-healing assay, transwell assay, flow cytometry assay, and in nude mouse models in vivo. After KNTC1 reduction, NSCLC cell viability, proliferation, migration, and invasion were restrained. A xenograft tumor model was also provided to demonstrate the inhibited tumorigenesis in NSCLC. In addition, the downstream mechanism analysis indicated that KNTC1 depletion was positively associated with PSMB8. The findings of the present study suggested that KNTC1 may have a pivotal role in mediating NSCLC progression and may act as a novel therapeutic target for NSCLC.Subject terms: Non-small-cell lung cancer, Cell migration     

广竹的生物学特性及栽培技术研究

对广竹的生物学特性及栽培技术研究结果表明:广竹的出笋历期较短且非常集中,出笋高峰期集中在4月上旬,出笋数量占全期出笋总数的62.7%;幼竹高生长及枝条生长曲线均呈"S"形,遵循慢—快—慢的节律;此竹种属于混生竹,可移竹繁殖和埋鞭繁殖,前一方法的繁殖效果较好,成活率可达60%,而埋鞭繁殖效果相对较差,成活率只有38%,最佳繁殖时间宜在12月下旬至次年2月进行;根据其各生长阶段的生长规律、无性繁殖栽培技术以及生产实践,提出了主要栽培技术措施。     

土荆芥挥发油化感胁迫对土壤胞外酶活性和微生物多样性的影响

入侵植物释放的化感物质可改变土壤理化性状和微生物群落结构,通过与土壤微生物的互作抑制本土植物生长。为了进一步诠释土荆芥化感作用机制,采用温室培养瓶法,探讨了其挥发油对土壤胞外酶活性和微生物多样性的影响。结果表明:土荆芥挥发油不同程度降低了脲酶、酸性磷酸酶、蔗糖酶和硝酸还原酶的活性(P0.05);较高剂量的挥发油处理组显著促进了过氧化氢酶活性(P0.05)。处理初期挥发油对土壤胞外酶活性影响较大,但随着处理时间延长,其影响逐渐减弱;处理16 d后,较高剂量(20μL和50μL)的挥发油处理组细菌数量显著高于对照(P0.05)。挥发油对土壤放线菌数量的影响表现为低剂量促进,高剂量抑制的效应;PCR-DGGE分析表明,随着挥发油处理剂量增加和处理时间延长,土壤中细菌和真菌的Shannonwiener多样性指数和丰富度指数均增大。结论:土荆芥挥发油可改变土壤微生物群落结构和胞外酶活性,增加土壤微生物多样性。     

呼肠病毒BYD株吸附蛋白σ1的原核表达及其抗原性鉴定

将呼肠病毒BYD株S1片段编码的细胞吸附蛋白基因连接至pET-28a( ),构建表达载体pET-28a( )-S1,转化表达宿主菌E.coli BL21(DE3),分析表达载体能否表达预期大小的重组σ1,并进一步鉴定重组σ1的抗原性。SDS-PAGE实验表明,经IPTG诱导后,表达载体能表达53kD左右蛋白质,与重组σ1的预期大小相符;免疫印迹分析表明重组σ1有较好的抗原性和特异性,可用于呼肠病毒诊断试剂的制备。     

农田小麦在土壤湿润条件下的气孔活动

1984年在北京大屯农业生态系统试验站用MK 3型自动气孔计对土壤湿润、睛朗天气条件下冬小麦气孔传导力的日变化,季节变化、以及叶龄和梯度变化进行了观测。发现叶片传导力(gl)的日变化为双峰曲线,正午gl的降低可能是强光和高的饱和差作用的结果,从而限制了光合潜力的发挥。近轴面传导力(gd)和远轴面传导力(gb)的比(α)不是一个常数,这是因为两面气孔对环境条件的反应不同。gl和冠层传导力(g(?))都以孕穗期为最高。灌浆时期gl和gc有所降低,反映了叶片的过早衰老。这是影响本地区小麦产量的重要因素之一,其原因不仅与土壤水分有关,还与大气条件和病虫害有关。本文还讨论了gl随时龄的变化。观测表明,气孔计可以迅速准确地掌握作物群体的生理动态,有可能用于指导农田灌灌和管理。