The diagnostic potential of MPT63‐derived HLA‐A*0201‐restricted CD8+T‐cell epitopes for active pulmonary tuberculosis

MPT63 protein is found only in Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, including M. tuberculosis and M. bovis. Detection of MPT63‐specific IFN‐γ‐secreting T cells could be useful for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) diseases. In the present study, the HLA‐A*0201 restriction of ten predicted MPT63‐derived CD8 ⁺ T‐cell epitopes was assessed on the basis of T2 cell line and HLA‐A*0201 transgenic mice. The diagnostic potential of immunogenic peptides in active pulmonary TB patients was evaluated using an IFN‐γ enzyme‐linked immunospot assay. It was found that five peptides bound to HLA‐A*0201 with high affinity, whereas the remaining peptides exhibited low affinity for HLA‐A*0201. Five immunogenic peptides (MPT63_18–26, MPT63_29–37, MPT63_20–28, MPT63_5–14 and MPT63_10–19) elicited large numbers of cytotoxic IFN‐γ‐secreting T cells in HLA‐A*0201 transgenic mice. Each of the five immunogenic peptides was recognized by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 45% to 73% of 40 HLA‐A*0201 positive TB patients. The total diagnostic sensitivity of the five immunogenic peptides was higher than that of a T‐SPOT.TB assay (based on ESAT‐6 and CFP‐10) (93% versus 90%). It is noticeable that the diagnostic sensitivity of the combination of five immunogenic peptides and T‐SPOT.TB assay reached 100%. These MPT63‐derived HLA‐A*0201‐restricted CD8 ⁺ T‐cell epitopes would likely contribute to the immunological diagnosis of M. tuberculosis infection and may provide the components for designing an effective TB vaccine.     

Early Mixed Farming of Millet and Rice 7800 Years Ago in the Middle Yellow River Region,China

The Peiligang Culture (9000-7000 cal. yr BP) in the Middle Yellow River region, North China, has long been considered representative of millet farming. It is still unclear, however, if broomcorn millet or foxtail millet was the first species domesticated during the Peiligang Culture. Furthermore, it is also unknown whether millet was cultivated singly or together with rice at the same period. In this study, phytolith analysis of samples from the Tanghu archaeological site reveals early crop information in the Middle Yellow River region, China. Our results show that broomcorn millet was the early dry farming species in the Peiligang Culture at 7800 cal. yr BP, while rice cultivation took place from 7800 to 4500 cal. yr BP. Our data provide new evidence of broomcorn millet and rice mixed farming at 7800 cal. yr BP in the Middle Yellow River region, which has implications for understanding the domestication process of the two crops, and the formation and continuance of the Ancient Yellow River Civilization.     

黄菖蒲叶片对水分的生物学响应及其净化水质作用

为解决漓江流域水质下降和生态系统退化的关键问题,开展黄菖蒲抗逆性以及水质净化作用研究,为漓江水陆交错带生态修复的植物选择提供科学依据。采用盆栽试验,研究了黄菖蒲在不同基质内不同淹水胁迫下的叶片生长情况,共设5个处理,并在全土基质中开展净化水质实验。结果表明:随着水淹深度的增加,黄菖蒲叶片数明显下降;半淹处理对黄菖蒲生长最有利;水淹时间对黄菖蒲叶片数、叶长、叶宽与叶面积有极显著影响;黄菖蒲叶片长度、宽度和叶片数随淹水处理没有明显差异,基质对黄菖蒲的生长无显著差异;水分比基质对黄菖蒲生长影响大;种植黄菖蒲处理后pH减小为中性,在一定程度上可以净化水质,但对氮磷的净化效果不明显。     

Analyzing the action of evolutionarily conserved modules on HMW-GS 1Ax1 promoter activity

Key message

The specific and high-level expression of 1Ax1 is determined by different promoter regions. HMW-GS synthesis occurs in aleurone layer cells. Heterologous proteins can be stored in protein bodies.

Abstract

High-molecular-weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS) is highly expressed in the endosperm of wheat and relative species, where their expression level and allelic variation affect the bread-making quality and nutrient quality of flour. However, the mechanism regulating HMW-GS expression remains elusive. In this study, we analyzed the distribution of cis-acting elements in the 2659-bp promoter region of the HMW-GS gene 1Ax1, which can be divided into five element-enriched regions. Fragments derived from progressive 5′ deletions were used to drive GUS gene expression in transgenic wheat, which was confirmed in aleurone layer cells, inner starchy endosperm cells, starchy endosperm transfer cells, and aleurone transfer cells by histochemical staining. The promoter region ranging from ??297 to ??1 was responsible for tissue-specific expression, while fragments from ??1724 to ??618 and from ??618 to ??297 were responsible for high-level expression. Under the control of the 1Ax1 promoter, heterologous protein could be stored in the form of protein bodies in inner starchy endosperm cells, even without a special location signal. Our findings not only deepen our understanding of glutenin expression regulation, trafficking, and accumulation but also provide a strategy for the utilization of wheat endosperm as a bioreactor for the production of nutrients and metabolic products.

     

Effects of Dietary Clostridium butyricum on the Growth,Digestive Enzyme Activity,Antioxidant Capacity,and Resistance to Nitrite Stress of Penaeus monodon

Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins - The present study investigated the effects of the dietary probiotic Clostridium butyricum (CB) on the growth, intestine digestive enzyme activity,...     

Genetic Analysis of an Emerging GII.P2–GII.2 Norovirus Associated with a 2016 Outbreak of Acute Gastroenteritis in China

<正>Dear Editor,Noroviruses are positive-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses belonging to Caliciviridae and account for more than 50%of all acute gastroenteritis (AGE) outbreaks worldwide and cause an estimated 200,000 deaths per year among children\5 years of age, primarily in developing countries (Hall et al. 2012; Glass et al. 2009). The norovirus genome contains three open reading frames (ORFs).     

Bioactive components in the fruits of Ziziphus jujuba Mill. against the inflammatory irritant action of Euphorbia plants

Chinese jujube (also known as Chinese date) is the fruit of Ziziphus jujuba Mill. (Rhamnaceae). As a famous folk medicine, it is used as antidote in traditional Chinese formula, Shi Zao Decoction, to relieve the drastic inflammatory irritant nature of Euphorbia species. The irritant activities may cause serious adverse effects in clinical practices. This study aimed to investigate the active components of Z. jujuba through the inhibitory effects on the inflammatory cells activated by Euphorbia kansui and prostratin, a phorbol ester isolated from Euphorbia fischeriana. Peritoneal macrophage of rat and splenic lymphocyte (splenocyte) of mouse were selected to evaluate these actions in vitro. Nitric oxide (NO) release of macrophage and the proliferation of splenocyte were examined through Griess method and MTT assay. TNF-α, as an important pro-inflammatory cytokines, was detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Six fractions extracted from Z. jujuba were evaluated and fraction F (triterpene acids fraction) was demonstrated to be the most active part, and then, 21 compounds isolated from Z. jujuba were tested at the concentrations range from 1 μg/ml to 100 μg/ml. The results show that 7 compounds of them are likely to be active compounds concerning to their pronounced inhibitory action on the activated inflammatory cells. These effects might be helpful to attenuate the irritant action of Euphorbiaceae plants and protect the gastrointestinal tissue from potent inflammatory injury, which should be beneficial to some diseases, like inflammatory bowel disease.