TET2–BCLAF1 transcription repression complex epigenetically regulates the expression of colorectal cancer gene Ascl2 via methylation of its promoter

Ascl2 has been shown to be involved in tumorigenesis in colorectal cancer (CRC), although its epigenetic regulatory mechanism is largely unknown. Here, we found that methylation of the Ascl2 promoter (bp -1670 ∼ -1139) was significantly increased compared to the other regions of the Ascl2 locus in CRC cells and was associated with elevated Ascl2 mRNA expression. Furthermore, we found that promoter methylation was predictive of CRC patient survival after analyzing DNA methylation data, RNA-Seq data, and clinical data of 410 CRC patient samples from the MethHC database, the MEXPRESS database, and the Cbioportal website. Using the established TET methylcytosine dioxygenase 2 (TET2) knockdown and ectopic TET2 catalytic domain–expression cell models, we performed glucosylated hydroxymethyl–sensitive quatitative PCR (qPCR), real-time PCR, and Western blot assays to further confirm that hypermethylation of the Ascl2 promoter, and elevated Ascl2 expression in CRC cells was partly due to the decreased expression of TET2. Furthermore, BCLAF1 was identified as a TET2 interactor in CRC cells by LC-MS/MS, coimmunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence colocalization, and proximity ligation assays. Subsequently, we found the TET2–BCLAF1 complex bound to multiple elements around CCGG sites at the Ascl2 promoter and further restrained its hypermethylation by inducing its hydroxymethylation using chromatin immunoprecipitation-qPCR and glucosylated hydroxymethyl-qPCR assays. Finally, we demonstrate that TET2-modulated Ascl2-targeted stem gene expression in CRC cells was independent of Wnt signaling. Taken together, our data suggest an additional option for inhibiting Ascl2 expression in CRC cells through TET2–BCLAF1–mediated promoter methylation, Ascl2-dependent self-renewal of CRC progenitor cells, and TET2–BCLAF1–related CRC progression.     

人Man2c1转基因小鼠外周血中性粒细胞和CD8+T细胞的调节

目的以转hMan2c1基因小鼠为模型,分析hMan2c1基因在转基因小鼠脾脏的蛋白表达和活性,研究hMan2c1基因对于机体免疫系统的影响。方法Western blot方法检测hMan2c1基因在脾脏的蛋白表达并检测小鼠脾脏α-甘露糖苷酶活性;血常规分析外周血中各种血细胞的比例;以BSA作为抗原观察机体的免疫应答;流式细胞技术观察外周血中CD4 、CD8 、B、NK细胞的数量。结果Western blot结果显示,与野生型小鼠比较,hMan2c1基因在转基因小鼠脾脏组织有明显的表达,α-甘露糖苷酶活性明显增高,中性粒细胞明显升高。BSA刺激后,转基因小鼠外周血免疫细胞中的CD8 T淋巴细胞明显高于野生型小鼠。结论hMan2c1基因在小鼠脾脏表达引起α-甘露糖苷酶活性显著升高,并进一步影响淋巴细胞的生成,增加中性粒细胞和CD8 T淋巴细胞对免疫原的应答。     

贵州花溪大学城破碎化林地中鸟类群落的小岛屿效应

小岛屿效应打破了传统的种-面积关系认知,是当前岛屿生物地理学与生境破碎化领域的研究热点之一。然而,目前的研究缺乏以人类干扰度较高的城市破碎化生境为载体来探究小岛屿效应问题。本研究以贵州花溪大学城30个面积0.25 ~ 290.40 hm2的残存自然林地为研究区,在2017至2021年的鸟类繁殖季对林地中的鸟类进行调查。共记录到鸟类98种,隶属于11目41科。剔除高空飞行、非森林鸟类及偶然出现的物种后,不同斑块中的鸟类物种数介于12至49种之间,平均每个斑块24种。在R软件中利用“sars”包构建4种关键种-面积回归模型发现,先平后升的两段式回归模型是预测种-面积关系的最佳模型。该模型显示,在面积阈值1.16 hm2之上,物种丰富度随着面积的增加逐渐增多,符合传统岛屿生物地理学提出的面积效应;但是,在面积阈值1.16 hm2之下,物种丰富度不随面积发生显著变化,表现出小岛屿效应的特征。小岛屿效应的形成可能与喀斯特特殊地貌环境、食物资源或“中转站”、“垫脚石”等生态功能相关,其具体发生机制尚有待进一步研究。根据本研究结果,建议在城市规划建设时尽可能保护自然林地并设计绿色过渡带,在优先保护大林地斑块的同时不应忽视对具有重要生态价值的小林地斑块的保护。     

The spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is cleaved in virus infected Vero-E6 cells

Spike protein is one of the major structural proteins of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus. It is essential for the interaction of the virons with host cell receptors and subsequent fusion of the viral envelop with host cell membrane to allow infection. Some spike proteins of coronavirus, such as MHV, HCoV-OC43, AIBV and BcoV, are proteolytically cleaved into two subunits, S 1 and S2. In contrast, TGV, FIPV and HCoV-229E are not. Many studies have shown that the cleavage of spike protein seriously affects its function. In order to investigate the maturation and proteolytic processing of the S protein of SARS CoV, we generated S 1 and S2 subunit specific antibodies (Abs) as well as N, E and 3CL protein-specific Abs. Our results showed that the antibodies could efficiently and specifically bind to their corresponding proteins from E.coli expressed or lysate of SARS-CoV infected Vero-E6 cells by Western blot analysis. Furthermore, the anti-S 1 and S2 Abs were proved to be capable of binding to SARS CoV under electron microscope observation. When S2 Ab was used to perform immune precipitation with lysate of SARS-CoV infected cells, a cleaved S2 fragment was detected with S2-specific mAb by Western blot analysis. The data demonstrated that the cleavage of S protein was observed in the lysate, indicating that proteolytic processing of S protein is present in host cells.     

An Extended Kalman Filtering Approach to Modeling Nonlinear Dynamic Gene Regulatory Networks via Short Gene Expression Time Series

In this paper, the extended Kalman filter (EKF) algorithm is applied to model the gene regulatory network from gene time series data. The gene regulatory network is considered as a nonlinear dynamic stochastic model that consists of the gene measurement equation and the gene regulation equation. After specifying the model structure, we apply the EKF algorithm for identifying both the model parameters and the actual value of gene expression levels. It is shown that the EKF algorithm is an online estimation algorithm that can identify a large number of parameters (including parameters of nonlinear functions) through iterative procedure by using a small number of observations. Four real-world gene expression data sets are employed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the EKF algorithm, and the obtained models are evaluated from the viewpoint of bioinformatics.     

红球菌R04细胞的不对称分裂及其在联苯胁迫下的分裂抑制

【目的】研究红球菌R04细胞的分裂方式及联苯对其形态和细胞分裂的影响。【方法】以一株多氯联苯降解菌株(Rhodococcus sp.R04)为研究对象,利用荧光显微镜、扫描电子显微镜及透射电子显微镜分析红球菌R04在不同培养条件下的细胞分裂。【结果】红球菌R04细胞表现出对称分裂(约占30%)和不对称分裂(约占70%)两种分裂方式,且培养条件不影响不对称分裂细胞所占的比例。细胞分裂过程中,隔膜主要分布于细胞长度的30%–50%。在联苯的分解代谢过程中,红球菌R04细胞的生长分裂会受到联苯的抑制,但不影响红球菌R04细胞的分裂方式,在联苯胁迫下,细胞形成丝状化,表现出异常分裂,随着培养时间的延长,在细胞生长指数后期至转换期,细胞能够进行正常分裂。【结论】环境异生型化合物联苯/多氯联苯对其降解菌株——红球菌R04细胞的生长和分裂有较强影响,但是并不影响其分裂方式。     

Wnt/β-catenin信号通路对靶基因转录的调控

Wnt/β-catenin信号通路又被称为经典Wnt信号通路,在早期胚胎发育、成体组织稳态维持、干细胞干性调控和肿瘤发生等过程中均发挥重要作用.经典Wnt信号通路的核心信号转导因子β-catenin与核内转录因子TCF/LEF家族成员结合后,通过募集或替换一系列协同作用因子,诱导染色质结构变化,调控Wnt信号靶基因的转录.本文将从Wnt信号靶基因转录调控的基本模式、分子机制、表观遗传学调控和意义等方面,总结近年来有关Wnt信号靶基因转录调控的研究成果,方便读者更好地理解Wnt信号通路靶基因的转录调控.     

胸膜肺炎放线杆菌萘啶酸抗性菌株的选育和信号标签突变株的构建

胸膜肺炎放线杆菌(APP)是重要的猪呼吸道病原菌,给世界养猪业造成严重的经济损失.信号标签突变(STM)技术是在宿主动物体内鉴定病原菌毒力因子的高通量方法.通过体外传代选育出APP血清1型和3型萘啶酸抗性菌株,再以萘啶酸抗性菌株为受体菌,以携带mini-Tn10的标签质粒(pLOF/TAG1-48)的E.coli CC118 λ pir或S17-1λpir为供体菌,在或不在E.coli DH5α(pRK2073)的辅助下,进行三亲本或两亲本接合,通过抗性筛选、PCR和Southern杂交鉴定转座突变株.结果表明:体外萘啶酸加压传代很容易选育出萘啶酸抗性APP菌株,该抗性的产生与DNA促旋酶A亚基基因gyrA的突变有关.在APP与E. coli接合实验中,两亲本接合比三亲本接合操作更简单,效率也较高;APP不同菌株在接合和转座效率上存在很大差异,血清1型菌株高于血清3型菌株,3型标准菌株高于地方分离株JL03-R.本研究为APP STM突变体库的构建与毒力基因的鉴定奠定了基础.     

细胞共培养技术在骨组织生物学中的应用

骨组织不同细胞相互交织构成了复杂的网络结构,通过旁分泌和间隙连接途径相互传递信号,调节了个体发育的骨重塑和成体的骨重建过程。细胞共培养技术是研究细胞间相互作用的重要手段,目前主要有接触式和非接触式两种。就骨组织而言,由于骨细胞(osteocyte)在力学感知及调节骨重塑/重建平衡中的中心枢纽作用,建立适宜于骨细胞与骨组织其他细胞间的共培养技术,对于骨组织基础生物学的研究具有重要意义。该文就当前应用于骨组织生物学中的细胞共培养技术进行综述。