Photosynthesis Characteristics of Tall Fescue under Snow-Melting Agent,Acid Precipitation and Freeze-Thaw Stress

Russian Journal of Plant Physiology - To explore the physiological response characteristics of plant photosynthesis under acid precipitation stress (A stress), snow-melting agent stress (S stress),...     

(Z)-3-Hexenol Induces Tea Defense against Ectropis grisescens in the Field

Russian Journal of Plant Physiology - The tea geometrid Ectropis grisescens is an important pest of tea plant (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze). It feeds on the new leaves and tender...     

iTRAQ-Based Proteomic Reveals Cell Cycle and Translation Regulation Involving in Peanut Buds Cold Stress

Russian Journal of Plant Physiology - Cold stress is one major threats to field crops. The cold tolerant ability is a key limiting factor for the popularization of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in...     

Ptk2b deletion improves mice folliculogenesis and fecundity via inhibiting follicle loss mediated by Erk pathway

Ptk2b has been found playing critical roles in oocyte maturation and subsequent fertilization in vitro. But what is the exact in vivo function in reproduction still elusive. Here, by constructing Ptk2b mutant mice, we found Ptk2b was not essential for mice fertility, unexpectedly, contrary to previously reported in vitro findings, we found Ptk2b ablation significantly improved female fecundity. Follicle counting indicated that the number of primordial follicles and growing follicles in matured mice was significantly increased in the absence of Ptk2b, whereas the primordial follicle formation showed no defects. We also found this regulation was in an autophosphorylation independent pathway, as autophosphorylation site mutant mice (PTK2B^Y402F) show no phenotype in female fertility. Further biochemistry studies revealed that Ptk2b ablation promotes folliculogenesis via Erk pathway mediate follicle survival. Together, we found a novel biological function of Ptk2b in folliculogenesis, which could be potentially used as a therapeutic target for corresponding infertility.     

Effects of pulse precipitation on soil organic matter mineralization in forests: spatial variation and controlling factors

脉冲降水对森林中土壤有机物矿化的影响：空间变化和控制因素 降水脉冲效应使土壤有机物在短时间内迅速分解并释放大量CO₂到大气中。降水脉冲效应对生态系统的碳循环和土壤碳平衡的研究具有十分重要的意义,但它在森林土壤中的空间变化和基本机制仍不清楚。我们采集中国东部22个典型森林生态系统的土壤样品(0–10cm),研究模拟脉冲降水对土壤微生物呼吸速率的影响。模拟降水脉冲使土壤样品达到65%饱和含水量,以分钟为单位测量R_s,持续48 小时。研究结果显示,降水脉冲可以使微生物呼吸速率迅速增加1.70–38.12倍。微生物最大呼吸速率 (R_s-soil-max)、碳释放总量R_s (A_Rs-soil)和达到呼吸峰值的时间(T_Rs-soil-max)在不同的土壤中存在显著差异。此外,不同 气候区的脉冲效应也有明显不同。中温带的R_s-soil-max (11.701 µg C g⁻¹ soil h⁻¹)和A_Rs-soil (300.712 µg C g⁻¹ soil)最高。土壤化学特性(总碳和总氮、pH值和氧化还原电位)和土壤粒径与森林土壤的脉冲效应密切相关,但土壤微生物的贡献较小。我们的研究结果表明,在大尺度范围内,脉冲变化短期内增加森林土壤中CO₂的排放,并揭示了对这种变化影响最大的因素。这些发现为未来对森林生态系统的碳循环和调节全球生态系统碳循环的研究提供科学数据支持。     

Development of gene-specific markers for acid soil/aluminium tolerance in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Acid soil/aluminium toxicity is one of the major constraints on barley production around the world. Genetic improvement is the best solution and molecular-marker-assisted selection has proved to be an efficient tool for developing barley cultivars with acid soil/aluminium tolerance. In this study, barley variety Svanhals—introduced from CYMMIT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center)—was identified as acid soil/aluminium tolerant and the tolerance was mapped to chromosome 4H in 119 doubled haploid (DH) lines from a cross of Hamelin/Svanhals. The HvMATE gene, encoding an aluminium-activated citrate transporter, was selected as a candidate gene and gene-specific molecular markers were developed to detect acid soil/aluminium tolerance based on the polymerase chain reaction. Sequence analysis of the HvMATE gene identified a 21-bp indel (insertion–deletion) between the tolerant and sensitive cultivars. The new marker was further mapped to the QTL (quantitative trait loci) region on chromosome 4H for acid soil tolerance and accounted for 66.9 % of phenotypic variation in the DH population. Furthermore, the polymorphism was confirmed in other tolerant varieties which have been widely used as a source of acid soil tolerance in Australian barley breeding programs. The new gene-specific molecular marker provides an effective and simple molecular tool for selecting the acid soil tolerance gene from multiple tolerance sources.     

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation Enhancement in Myocardial Infarction Rat Model under Ultrasound Combined with Nitric Oxide Microbubbles

Objective

This study evaluated the effects of ultrasound combined with the homemade nitric oxide (NO) micro-bubble destruction on the in vitro proliferation, apoptosis, and migration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Furthermore, we studied whether or not irradiation of the NO micro-bubble combined with bone-marrow derived MSC infusion had a better effect on treating myocardial infarction. The possible mechanism of MSC delivery into the infarcted myocardium was also investigated.

Methods

The murine bone marrow-derived MSCs were isolated, cultured, irradiated, and combined with different concentrations of NO microbubbles. MTT proliferation assay, annexin V-FITC apoptosis detection, migration assay, and RT-PCR were performed 24 h after the irradiation. The NO micro-bubbles was a intravenously injected, followed by the infusion of MSCs, which were labeled by CM-Dil. Myocardium was harvested 48 h later and the distribution of MSCs was observed by laser scanning confocal microscope after frozen sectioning. Echocardiography, histological examination, RT-PCR, and western blotting were performed four weeks after the cell transplantation.

Results

Ultrasound combined with 1:70 NO micro-bubbles had no significant impact on the proliferation or apoptosis of MSCs. Transwell chamber findings demonstrated that MSCs migrated more efficiently in group that underwent ultrasound combined with 1:70 NO micro-bubbles. The Real-time PCR results indicated that the expression of CXCR4 was much higher in the group undergoing ultrasound combined with 1:70 NO micro-bubbles. The normalized fluorescence intensity greatly increased in the group of US+NO micro-bubbles and the cardiac function was also markedly improved. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the capillary density was much greater in the group of US+NO micro-bubbles as compared to that of the other groups. RT-PCR and western blotting also revealed a higher SDF-1 and VEGF expression in the group of US+NO micro-bubbles.

Conclusions

NO micro-bubbles could be used in the cell transplantation, which efficiently promoted the MSC homing into the infarcted myocardium.     

Rhein,a Natural Anthraquinone Derivative,Attenuates the Activation of Pancreatic Stellate Cells and Ameliorates Pancreatic Fibrosis in Mice with Experimental Chronic Pancreatitis

Pancreatic fibrosis, a prominent histopathological feature of chronic pancreatitis (CP) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, is essentially a dynamic process that leads to irreversible scarring of parenchymal tissues of the pancreas. Though the exact mechanisms of its initiation and development are poorly understood, recent studies suggested that the activation of pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) plays a critical role in eliciting such active course of fibrogenesis. Anthraquinone compounds possess anti-inflammatory bioactivities whereas its natural derivative rhein has been shown to effectively reduce tissue edema and free-radical production in rat models of inflammatory conditions. Apart from its anti-inflammatory properties, rhein actually exerts strong anti-fibrotic effects in our current in-vivo and in-vitro experiments. In the mouse model of cerulein-induced CP, prolonged administration of rhein at 50 mg/kg/day significantly decreased immunoreactivities of the principal fibrotic activators alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) on pancreatic sections implicating the activation of PSCs, which is the central tread to fibrogenesis, was attenuated. Consequently, the overwhelmed deposition of extracellular matrix proteins fibronectin 1 (FN1) and type I collagen (COL I-α1) in exocrine parenchyma was found accordingly reduced. In addition, the expression levels of sonic hedgehog (SHH), which plays important roles in molecular modulation of various fibrotic processes, and its immediate effector GLI1 in pancreatic tissues were positively correlated to the degree of cerulein-induced fibrosis. Such up-regulation of SHH signaling was restrained in rhein-treated CP mice. In cultured PSCs, we demonstrated that the expression levels of TGF-β-stimulated fibrogenic markers including α-SMA, FN1 and COL I-α1 as well as SHH were all notably suppressed by the application of rhein at 10 μM. The present study firstly reported that rhein attenuates PSC activation and suppresses SHH/GLI1 signaling in pancreatic fibrosis. With strong anti-fibrotic effects provided, rhein can be a potential remedy for fibrotic and/or PSC-related pathologies in the pancreas.     

High‐throughput cloning and expression library creation for functional proteomics

The study of protein function usually requires the use of a cloned version of the gene for protein expression and functional assays. This strategy is particularly important when the information available regarding function is limited. The functional characterization of the thousands of newly identified proteins revealed by genomics requires faster methods than traditional single‐gene experiments, creating the need for fast, flexible, and reliable cloning systems. These collections of ORF clones can be coupled with high‐throughput proteomics platforms, such as protein microarrays and cell‐based assays, to answer biological questions. In this tutorial, we provide the background for DNA cloning, discuss the major high‐throughput cloning systems (Gateway® Technology, Flexi® Vector Systems, and Creator^TM DNA Cloning System) and compare them side‐by‐side. We also report an example of high‐throughput cloning study and its application in functional proteomics. This tutorial is part of the International Proteomics Tutorial Programme (IPTP12).