Hsa_circ_0003596 enhances the development of cell renal clear cell carcinoma through the miR-502-5p/IGF1/PI3K/AKT axis

Accumulating research findings have shown that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play an indispensable role in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. The current study aimed to explore the role and modulatory mechanism of hsa_circ_0003596 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was adopted to detect the expression of hsa_circ_0003596 in ccRCC tissue and cell lines. 5-Ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine, cell counting kit 8 and the colony formation assay were utilized to assess the proliferation potential of the ccRCC cells. Transwell along with wound healing assays were adopted to quantify infiltration coupled with the migration potential of the cells. The current research study found that the circRNA hsa_circ_0003596 was overexpressed in ccRCC tissue and cell lines. Further, result showed that hsa_circ_0003596 was associated with distant metastasis of renal cancer. Notably, the knockdown of hsa_circ_0003596 can lower the proliferation, infiltration and migration potential of ccRCC cells. The results of in vivo experiments found that the reduction of hsa_circ_0003596 significantly hampered the growth of tumors in mice. In addition, it was evident that hsa_circ_0003596 acts as a “molecular sponge” for miR-502-5p to upregulate the expression of the microRNA-502-5p (miR-502-5p) target insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1R). Furthermore, it was found that the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling was the downstream cascade of hsa_circ_0003596/miR-502-5p/IGF1R cascade, which is partly responsible for the cancer-promoting effect. Overall, the results of the present study showed that hsa_circ_0003596 facilitated the proliferation, infiltration and migration of ccRCC through the miR-502-5p/IGF1R/PI3K/AKT axis. Therefore, it was evident that hsa_circ_0003596 can serve as a possible biomarker and therapeutic target against ccRCC.     

环境变化对水稻osfh1突变体成蛋白家族表达的影响

水稻成蛋白基因成员OsFH1在水稻根毛的生长发育中起着关键作用,这一过程受到环境因素的调控,当前的研究对环境因素如何与OsFH1互作调控水稻根毛的机制尚未阐明。为探索水稻成蛋白成员是否在环境因素介导的osfh1突变体根毛表型恢复中发挥作用,该研究使用1/2 MS液体培养液与1/2 MS固体培养基处理osfh1突变体,通过qRT-PCR技术分析成蛋白家族成员表达量,并对成蛋白家族进行生物信息学分析。结果表明:(1)与野生型相比,在液培中osfh1突变体主根根毛缺失,地上部分较短,侧根数量增加,在固体培养中osfh1突变体根毛缺失表型得到恢复。(2)与野生型相比,当osfh1突变体从液培到固培环境时,OsFH16表达量下降,OsFH17表达量上升,并且差异显著。(3)OsFH1、OsFH16、OsFH17都是第一类成蛋白亚家族成员,都具有生长素、赤霉素以及厌氧等与环境胁迫相关顺式作用元件,并且预测到OsFH1、OsFH16和OsFH17定位于质膜行使功能。(4)OsFHs在不同组织的表达模式分析表明,OsFH1在根部表达水平较高,而OsFH16、OsFH17在根部表达量相对较低。综上认为,由于OsFH16、OsFH17、OsFH1之间亲缘关系较高,调控模式相近且三者都可能在细胞质膜上行使功能,因此OsFH16、OsFH17可能参与环境因素与osfh1共同改变根毛表型这一过程。该研究结果为解析环境与osfh1基因共同调控水稻根毛发育机制奠定了一定理论基础,为探索植物成蛋白基因功能提出了新方向。     

A novel autosomal recessive non-syndromic hearing impairment locus (DFNB47) maps to chromosome 2p25.1-p24.3

Hereditary hearing impairment (HI) displays extensive genetic heterogeneity. Autosomal recessive (AR) forms of prelingual HI account for ~75% of cases with a genetic etiology. A novel AR non-syndromic HI locus (DFNB47) was mapped to chromosome 2p25.1-p24.3, in two distantly related Pakistani kindreds. Genome scan and fine mapping were carried out using microsatellite markers. Multipoint linkage analysis resulted in a maximum LOD score of 4.7 at markers D2S1400 and D2S262. The three-unit support interval was bounded by D2S330 and D2S131. The region of homozygosity was found within the three-unit support interval and flanked by markers D2S2952 and D2S131, which corresponds to 13.2 cM according to the Rutgers combined linkage-physical map. This region contains 5.3 Mb according to the sequence-based physical map. Three candidate genes, KCNF1, ID2 and ATP6V1C2 were sequenced, and were found to be negative for functional sequence variants.     

石灰岩山地优势种淡竹生物量分配的影响主因研究

该研究在江西省瑞昌市设置9个淡竹林样地,调查和测定了淡竹林密度、淡竹各构件的生物量和总生物量,以及土壤含水率、土层厚度、林下裸岩率、pH、电导率、全氮和全磷等7个土壤环境因子,并对竹林密度、土壤环境因子和淡竹生物量分配指标进行了相关分析和回归分析。结果表明：(1)密度与淡竹蔸比重相关系数r达0.66( P＝0.02<0.05),而与叶比重、枝比重、秆比重、鞭比重、根比重及根冠比均无显著相关关系;土壤环境因子与生物量分配指标有密切相关,环境主成分Z1与叶比重、秆比重及蔸比重均显著相关(P<0.05),Z2与鞭比重显著相关(P＝0.034<0.05)。(2)密度与土壤环境因子密切相关(P<0.05),控制土壤环境因子的偏相关分析显示密度与淡竹生物量分配不显著相关( P>0.05),而控制密度时,土壤环境因子与淡竹生物量分配仍有显著相关关系(P<0.05);逐步回归分析也验证了偏相关分析的结果,密度被排除出回归方程。分析认为,土壤含水率、土层厚度及土壤养分等环境因子是影响石灰岩山地优势种淡竹生物量分配的主因,密度对生物量分配的影响实为土壤环境因子的间接作用。该研究结果为石灰岩地区植被恢复提供了理论支撑。     

新疆野苹果(Malus sieversii(Ledeb.) M.Roem.)植物学性状遗传多样性及相关性分析

为加强野苹果种质资源利用与研究,促进野苹果研究工作,以3年来调查收集的新疆野苹果(赛威士苹果)的129个单株资源为材料,对单果重、果实纵横经、叶片大小等12个数量性状和叶片颜色、叶尖类型等5个质量性状进行遗传多样性及相关性分析。分析结果表明:叶片颜色、叶尖类型、叶姿、叶缘、叶面状态5个质量性状分布频率较集中;单果重、果实纵横经、叶柄长、叶片长宽、可溶性固形物、干周、树高均存在较大变异,变异系数幅度为16%~51%。各性状多样性指数也较大,均值为1.9264,叶片长的多样性指数最小为1.7359;果梗长的多样性指数最大为2.0525。新疆野苹果资源拥有丰富的遗传多样性,在于果实相关性状的多样性指数高,且变异幅度大,表明丰富的遗传多样性是新疆野苹果资源的重要特征。     

马鞍列岛褐菖鲉Sebasticus marmoratus栖息地适宜性评价

为了评估趋礁鱼类在岛礁海域的生境适宜度,选取马鞍列岛的褐菖鲉(Sebasticus marmoratus)为指示物种,以2009年获取的水深、盐度、叶绿素a、浊度和底质数据作为褐菖鲉春、冬季栖息地指示因子,建立栖息地适宜度曲线,并计算各站点的栖息地适宜性指数(HSI)。结果显示:1)绿华、花鸟、嵊山沿岸站点HSI普遍较低,枸杞岛、三横山、东库山沿岸站点褐菖鲉HSI相对较高,其中最大值1.0出现在枸杞岛沿岸的站点;2)春季褐菖鲉幼鱼的适宜水深在6 m左右,成鱼适宜在8—12 m的水深处生存;冬季褐菖鲉对8—12 m的水深适宜性良好;3)春季所有褐菖鲉的适宜盐度为30PSU,冬季幼鱼的适宜盐度为27—31PSU,成鱼的适宜盐度为27PSU、31PSU;4)随着叶绿素a和浊度值的增大,褐菖鲉适宜性逐渐降低。底质类型为岩时最适合褐菖鲉生存。5)相关分析显示,褐菖鲉丰度与底质类型相关性最大,而与叶绿素a、浊度呈显著负相关。研究结果表明,初级生产力和浑浊程度越高对褐菖鲉丰度抑制越明显。底质类型是褐菖鲉丰度分布的重要影响因子,其中分布有较多大型海藻的岩礁生境是其最适宜的栖息地。利用2010年春、冬季环境调查和渔获数据进行HSI模型验证,资源丰度随HSI值升高而增加,因此构建的模型可用于趋礁鱼类在岛礁海域的栖息地适宜性分析。     

Two amino acids near the N‐terminus of Cucumber mosaic virus 2b play critical roles in the suppression of RNA silencing and viral infectivity

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) 2b suppresses RNA silencing primarily through the binding of double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA) of varying sizes. However, the biologically active form of 2b remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that the single and double alanine substitution mutants in the N‐terminal 15th leucine and 18th methionine of CMV 2b exhibit drastically attenuated virulence in wild‐type plants, but are efficiently rescued in mutant plants defective in RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase 6 (RDR6) and Dicer‐like 4 (DCL4). Moreover, the transgenic plants of 2b, but not 2blm (L15A/M18A), rescue the high infectivity of CMV‐Δ2b through the suppression of antiviral silencing. L15A, M18A or both weaken 2b suppressor activity on local and systemic transgene silencing. In contrast with the high affinity of 2b to short and long dsRNAs, 2blm is significantly compromised in 21‐bp duplex small interfering RNA (siRNA) binding ability, but maintains a strong affinity for long dsRNAs. In cross‐linking assays, 2b can form dimers, tetramers and oligomers after treatment with glutaraldehyde, whereas 2blm only forms dimers, rather than tetramers and oligomers, in vitro. Together, these findings suggest that L15 and M18 of CMV 2b are required for high affinity to ds‐siRNAs and oligomerization activity, which are essential for the suppression activity of 2b on antiviral silencing.     

PAQR3 controls autophagy by integrating AMPK signaling to enhance ATG14L‐associated PI3K activity

The Beclin1–VPS34 complex is recognized as a central node in regulating autophagy via interacting with diverse molecules such as ATG14L for autophagy initiation and UVRAG for autophagosome maturation. However, the underlying molecular mechanism that coordinates the timely activation of VPS34 complex is poorly understood. Here, we identify that PAQR3 governs the preferential formation and activation of ATG14L‐linked VPS34 complex for autophagy initiation via two levels of regulation. Firstly, PAQR3 functions as a scaffold protein that facilitates the formation of ATG14L‐ but not UVRAG‐linked VPS34 complex, leading to elevated capacity of PI(3)P generation ahead of starvation signals. Secondly, AMPK phosphorylates PAQR3 at threonine 32 and switches on PI(3)P production to initiate autophagosome formation swiftly after glucose starvation. Deletion of PAQR3 leads to reduction of exercise‐induced autophagy in mice, accompanied by a certain degree of disaggregation of ATG14L‐associated VPS34 complex. Together, this study uncovers that PAQR3 can not only enhance the capacity of pro‐autophagy class III PI3K due to its scaffold function, but also integrate AMPK signal to activation of ATG14L‐linked VPS34 complex upon glucose starvation.