20E诱导家蚕抗菌肽CecropinB6的上调表达

蜕皮激素(20-hydroxyecdysone, 20E)是调控昆虫发育的重要激素,在昆虫的蜕皮和变态中起关键作用。近年来的研究表明,20E也调控昆虫抗菌肽的表达,揭示昆虫的发育和免疫之间具有重要的联系。家蚕是重要的经济昆虫,家蚕抗菌肽对蜕皮激素(20E)的应答及其调控机制仍有待研究。本文利用20E注射家蚕5龄第3天幼虫,qRT-PCR结果表明20E处理的脂肪体中抗菌肽CecropinB6基因(BmCecB6)的表达上调。通过对抗菌肽BmCecB6上游启动子的截短和双荧光素酶活性分析,结果显示BmCecB6响应20E的调控位点在启动子-448～-170区域,该区域内存在潜在的FoxO、E74A和BR-C等结合位点。本研究表明20E抑制了ILS通路水平,暗示ILS下游的转录因子FoxO被激活。进一步对BmCecB6的启动子进行FoxO结合位点的缺失突变,双荧光素酶检测结果表明20E对BmCecB6的诱导活性并没有丧失,推测BmCecB6对20E的应答不是通过转录因子FoxO结合BmCecB6启动子中的顺式调控元件直接调控的。20E激活BmCecB6表达的分子调控机制还需要进一步深入研究。     

Redefining the role of Ca2+-permeable channels in photoreceptor degeneration using diltiazem

Hereditary degeneration of photoreceptors has been linked to over-activation of Ca²⁺-permeable channels, excessive Ca²⁺-influx, and downstream activation of Ca²⁺-dependent calpain-type proteases. Unfortunately, after more than 20 years of pertinent research, unequivocal evidence proving significant and reproducible photoreceptor protection with Ca²⁺-channel blockers is still lacking. Here, we show that both D- and L-cis enantiomers of the anti-hypertensive drug diltiazem were very effective at blocking photoreceptor Ca²⁺-influx, most probably by blocking the pore of Ca²⁺-permeable channels. Yet, unexpectedly, this block neither reduced the activity of calpain-type proteases, nor did it result in photoreceptor protection. Remarkably, application of the L-cis enantiomer of diltiazem even led to a strong increase in photoreceptor cell death. These findings shed doubt on the previously proposed links between Ca²⁺ and retinal degeneration and are highly relevant for future therapy development as they may serve to refocus research efforts towards alternative, Ca²⁺-independent degenerative mechanisms.Subject terms: Cell death in the nervous system, Ion channels in the nervous system, Molecular neuroscience     

Double nicking by RNA-directed Cascade-nCas3 for high-efficiency large-scale genome engineering

New CRISPR-based genome editing technologies are developed to continually drive advances in life sciences, which, however, are predominantly derived from systems of Type II CRISPR-Cas9 and Type V CRISPR-Cas12a for eukaryotes. Here we report a novel CRISPR-n(nickase)Cas3 genome editing tool established upon a Type I-F system. We demonstrate that nCas3 variants can be created by alanine-substituting any catalytic residue of the Cas3 helicase domain. While nCas3 overproduction via plasmid shows severe cytotoxicity, an in situ nCas3 introduces targeted double-strand breaks, facilitating genome editing without visible cell killing. By harnessing this CRISPR-nCas3 in situ gene insertion, nucleotide substitution and deletion of genes or genomic DNA stretches can be consistently accomplished with near-100% efficiencies, including simultaneous removal of two large genomic fragments. Our work describes the first establishment of a CRISPR-nCas3-based genome editing technology, thereby offering a simple, yet useful approach to convert the naturally most abundantly occurring Type I systems into advanced genome editing tools to facilitate high-throughput prokaryotic engineering.     

新型重组糖蛋白表达载体--盘基网柄菌

近年来,盘基网柄菌作为异源重组糖蛋白表达载体的研究受到了学术界的重视,已经有多种具有生物活性的复杂糖蛋白成功地得到了表达。通过对表达产物的研究发现,盘基网柄菌具有各种翻译后加工机制,例如磷酸化、酰基化及形成GPI(糖基磷脂酰基醇)锚点等,具有类似于高等动物的糖基化修饰能力。与哺乳动物细胞表达载体相比较,盘基网柄菌具有培养成本低廉、细胞生长迅速及易于大规模培养的优势。盘基网柄菌有可能发展成为一种有重要应用前景的糖蛋白表达载体系统。     

RIP3 blockade prevents immune-mediated hepatitis through a myeloid-derived suppressor cell dependent mechanism

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory liver disease, and its pathogenesis is not fully understood. Our previous study discovered that receptor interacting protein kinase 3 (RIP3) is correlated with serum transaminase levels in AIH patients. However, its role and underlying mechanism in AIH are poorly understood. Here, we detected the increased expression and activation of RIP3 in livers of patients and animal models with AIH. The inhibition of RIP3 kinase by GSK872 prevented concanavalin A (ConA)-induced immune-mediated hepatitis (IMH) by reduced hepatic proinflammatory cytokines and immune cells including Th17 cells and macrophages. Further experiments revealed that RIP3 inhibition resulted in an increase in CD11b⁺Gr1⁺ myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) with immunoregulatory properties in the liver, spleen, and peripheral blood. Moreover, the depletion of Gr-1⁺ MDSCs abrogated the protective effect and immune suppression function of GSK872 in ConA-induced IMH. Altogether, our data demonstrate that RIP3 blockade prevents ConA-induced IMH through promoting MDSCs infiltration. Inhibition of RIP3 kinase may be a novel therapeutic avenue for AIH treatment.     

Cancer-derived exosomal HSPC111 promotes colorectal cancer liver metastasis by reprogramming lipid metabolism in cancer-associated fibroblasts

Tumor metastasis is a hallmark of cancer. The communication between cancer-derived exosomes and stroma plays an irreplaceable role in facilitating pre-metastatic niche formation and cancer metastasis. However, the mechanisms underlying exosome-mediated pre-metastatic niche formation during colorectal cancer (CRC) liver metastasis remain incompletely understood. Here we identified HSPC111 was the leading upregulated gene in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) incubated with CRC cell-derived exosomes. In xenograft mouse model, CRC cell-derived exosomal HSPC111 facilitated pre-metastatic niche formation and CRC liver metastases (CRLM). Consistently, CRC patients with liver metastasis had higher level of HSPC111 in serum exosomes, primary tumors and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in liver metastasis than those without. Mechanistically, HSPC111 altered lipid metabolism of CAFs by phosphorylating ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY), which upregulated the level of acetyl-CoA. The accumulation of acetyl-CoA further promoted CXCL5 expression and secretion by increasing H3K27 acetylation in CAFs. Moreover, CXCL5-CXCR2 axis reinforced exosomal HSPC111 excretion from CRC cells and promoted liver metastasis. These results uncovered that CRC cell-derived exosomal HSPC111 promotes pre-metastatic niche formation and CRLM via reprogramming lipid metabolism in CAFs, and implicate HSPC111 may be a potential therapeutic target for preventing CRLM.Subject terms: Cancer metabolism, Metastasis, Epithelial-mesenchymal transition     

林麝源蜡样芽孢杆菌SCBCM001株的分离鉴定及全基因组序列分析

【背景】细菌性疾病是林麝规模化养殖的重要制约因素,蜡样芽孢杆菌曾在林麝化脓灶中检出,但是目前对林麝源蜡样芽孢杆菌的研究报道很少。【目的】对分离自病死林麝肝脏中的一株疑似蜡样芽孢杆菌进行分离鉴定和全基因组序列分析,为林麝相关疾病的防治奠定基础。【方法】将病原菌纯化培养后,对病原菌进行生化试验、药敏试验和小鼠致病性试验;并通过第3代单分子测序技术进行全基因组测序,根据测序结果进一步评估物种间的亲缘关系,并进行基因功能注释和遗传进化分析。【结果】该病原菌经平均核苷酸相似度分类和系统发育树分析属于蜡样芽孢杆菌群,生化结果符合蜡样芽孢杆菌的一般特征,将分离菌株命名为SCBCM001。该菌株对小鼠的半数致死量为8.3×107 CFU,对大多数β-内酰胺类、四环素和磺胺异噁唑耐药,对氨基糖苷类、头孢氨苄、头孢哌酮和亚胺培南等药物敏感;全基因组测序结果表明该菌株的染色体大小为5292570bp,GC含量为35.37%,多位点序列分型显示该菌株属于ST427序列类型。在菌株SCBCM001基因组内发现hblA、hblC、hblD、nheA、nheB、clo和cytK等多种毒力因子,同时菌株携带对β-内酰...     

Insight of Autophagy in Spontaneous Miscarriage

In some cases of spontaneous miscarriage (SM), the exact etiology cannot be determined. Autophagy, which is responsible for cellular survival under stress conditions, has also been implicated in many diseases. Recently, it is also surmised to be correlated with SM. However, the detailed mechanism remains elusive. In fact, there are several essential steps during pregnancy establishment and maintenance: trophoblasts invasion, placentation, decidualization, enrichment and infiltration of decidua immune cells (e.g., natural killer, macrophage and T cells). Accordingly, upstream molecules and downstream effects of autophagy are discussed in these processes, respectively. Of note, autophagy regulates the crosstalk between these cells at the maternal-fetal interface as well. Aberrant autophagy is found in villi, decidual stromal cells, peripheral blood mononuclear cells in SM patients, although the findings are inconsistent among different studies. Furthermore, potential treatments targeting autophagy are included, during which rapamycin and vitamin D are hot-spots in recent literatures. To conclude, a moderately activated autophagy is deeply involved in pregnancy, suggesting that autophagy should be a regulator and promising target for treating SM.     

Demographic History and Natural Selection Shape Patterns of Deleterious Mutation Load and Barriers to Introgression across Populus Genome

Hybridization and resulting introgression are important processes shaping the tree of life and appear to be far more common than previously thought. However, how the genome evolution was shaped by various genetic and evolutionary forces after hybridization remains unresolved. Here we used whole-genome resequencing data of 227 individuals from multiple widespread Populus species to characterize their contemporary patterns of hybridization and to quantify genomic signatures of past introgression. We observe a high frequency of contemporary hybridization and confirm that multiple previously ambiguous species are in fact F₁ hybrids. Seven species were identified, which experienced different demographic histories that resulted in strikingly varied efficacy of selection and burdens of deleterious mutations. Frequent past introgression has been found to be a pervasive feature throughout the speciation of these Populus species. The retained introgressed regions, more generally, tend to contain reduced genetic load and to be located in regions of high recombination. We also find that in pairs of species with substantial differences in effective population size, introgressed regions are inferred to have undergone selective sweeps at greater than expected frequencies in the species with lower effective population size, suggesting that introgression likely have higher potential to provide beneficial variation for species with small populations. Our results, therefore, illustrate that demography and recombination have interplayed with both positive and negative selection in determining the genomic evolution after hybridization.