SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein causes acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)-like pathological damages and constitutes an antiviral target

Cytokine storm and multi-organ failure are the main causes of SARS-CoV-2-related death. However, the origin of excessive damages caused by SARS-CoV-2 remains largely unknown. Here we show that the SARS-CoV-2 envelope (2-E) protein alone is able to cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)-like damages in vitro and in vivo. 2-E proteins were found to form a type of pH-sensitive cation channels in bilayer lipid membranes. As observed in SARS-CoV-2-infected cells, heterologous expression of 2-E channels induced rapid cell death in various susceptible cell types and robust secretion of cytokines and chemokines in macrophages. Intravenous administration of purified 2-E protein into mice caused ARDS-like pathological damages in lung and spleen. A dominant negative mutation lowering 2-E channel activity attenuated cell death and SARS-CoV-2 production. Newly identified channel inhibitors exhibited potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity and excellent cell protective activity in vitro and these activities were positively correlated with inhibition of 2-E channel. Importantly, prophylactic and therapeutic administration of the channel inhibitor effectively reduced both the viral load and secretion of inflammation cytokines in lungs of SARS-CoV-2-infected transgenic mice expressing human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE-2). Our study supports that 2-E is a promising drug target against SARS-CoV-2.Subject terms: Cell death, Molecular biology     

卧龙自然保护区大熊猫生境恢复过程研究

保护与恢复生境是有效保护大熊猫的重要途径,通过样方调查法研究了卧龙自然保护区大熊猫（Ａｉｌｕｒｏｐｏｄａ　ｍｅｌａｎｏｌｅｕｃａ）恢复生境的群落结构特征,共调查了原始生境、２０世纪２０一３０年代砍伐后自然恢复生境、４０一５０年代砍伐后自然恢复生境、７０年代以后自然恢复生境以及６０一７０年代人工林等５个生境类型,２１个样方。研究结果表明：各生境类型的物种丰富度、物种多样性、植株数（高度＞５ｍ）、乔木层的平均胸径和最大平均胸径,以及大熊猫的生境成熟度都存在显著差异,竹子的生物量及更新能力也有一定差异。人工林与原始生境的群落相似性低于其他自然恢复生境与原始生境的群落相似性。研究发现,大熊猫生境恢复包括大熊猫可食竹类资源的恢复以及生境群落结构的恢复。可食竹类资源恢复所需时间相对较短,仅需约２０一３０ａ;生境的植物群落结构的恢复则要长的多,一般恢复时间５０ａ左右才能成为大熊猫的适宜生境,恢复时间为７０一８０ａ的生境与原始生境的群落结构已十分接近。通过人工造林恢复生境,无论从竹子资源的恢复,还是从植物群落结构的恢复方面,均不是一种有效地恢复大熊猫生境的方式。     

Discovery and SAR analysis of 5-chloro-4-((substituted phenyl)amino)pyrimidine bearing histone deacetylase inhibitors

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are validated targets for the development of anticancer drugs in epigenetics. In the discovery of novel HDAC inhibitors with anticancer potency, the 5-chloro-4-((substituted phenyl)amino)pyrimidine fragment is assembled as a cap group into the structure of HDAC inhibitors. The SAR revealed that presence of small groups (such as methoxy substitution) is beneficial for the HDAC inhibitory activity. In the enzyme inhibitory selectivity test, compound L20 exhibited class I selectivity with IC₅₀ values of 0.684 µM (selectivity index of >1462), 2.548 µM (selectivity index of >392), and 0.217 µM (selectivity index of >4608) against HDAC1, HDAC2 and HDAC3 compared with potency against HDAC6 (IC₅₀ value of >1000 µM), respectively. In the antiproliferative assay, compound L20 showed both hematological and solid cancer inhibitory activities. In the flow cytometry, L20 promoted G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of K562 cells.     

不同施肥处理对土壤水稳定性团聚体及有机碳分布的影响

以国家褐潮土16 a的长期肥料试验为平台(北京昌平),研究长期不同施肥对耕层土壤水稳定性团聚体及其有机碳的影响。主要研究结果:与耕种农田土壤相比,长期撂荒(CK0)可以提高水稳定性大团聚体的含量及其有机碳含量和储量。而农田耕作后,破坏了水稳性大团聚体,相应地增加水稳性微团聚体的含量。与长期不施肥种植作物(CK)相比,长期施氮磷钾肥(NPK)、氮磷钾配施有机肥(NPKM)和氮磷钾秸秆还田(NPKS)处理对水稳性团聚体数量分布和平均重量直径(MWD)有显著影响,其中对2mm和0.25 2mm水稳性大团聚体的促进作用最明显,说明施肥处理增加的新碳主要向0.25 2mm和2mm团聚体富集。在不同水平水稳性团聚体中,2mm和0.25 2mm两个级别的水稳性大团聚体有机碳的含量显著高于0.0530.25mm和0.053mm水稳性微团聚体。化肥与有机肥配施(NPKM)处理可提高水稳性大团聚体含量,改善土壤团聚体的结构。长期小麦-玉米→小麦-大豆复种轮作并施氮磷钾化肥的处理(NPKF)各级团聚体中有机碳的含量高于长期小麦-玉米轮作并施氮磷钾化肥的处理(NPK)。     

地黄自毒物质提取及其生物指标测定

连作障碍在药用植物地黄(Rehmannia glutinosa L.)栽培中尤其明显,同一地块上种植一茬地黄后,须经8-10a后方可再种。从怀地黄主产区河南省焦作地区采集种植1a地黄的茬后土壤,采用不同溶剂提取地黄土壤自毒物质并利用生物测试确定抑制率最强的土壤提取液作温室栽培实验以确定对植物生理指标的影响。利用高效液相色谱法(HPLC)对土壤提取液和根系分泌物进行比较,并利用高效液相色谱、傅立叶转换红外光谱(FTIR)和电喷雾离子阱质谱(ESI-MS)技术鉴定地黄连作自毒物质的化学成分。生物测试结果表明水和甲醇提取的地黄茬后土壤自毒物质对地黄生长具有最强的抑制作用;在培养器中加入浓度0.5g/mL的水和甲醇提取液对地黄胚根的抑制率分别达17%和26%,当浓度增至5.0g/mL时,抑制率增加到70%以上。盆栽结果显示甲醇提取的自毒物质导致地黄地上部叶绿素含量减少,根系活力下降,明显抑制了地黄体内超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化物歧化酶、过氧化物酶的活性,加剧了地黄膜质过氧化,以及引起地黄植体内生长素类激素含量下降。高效液相色谱法显示土壤提取液和根系分泌物具有相似图谱。电喷雾离子阱质谱分析共检测到6个特征物质:香草酸、D-甘露醇、二十六烷酸苯羟基乙酯、毛蕊花糖苷、β-谷甾醇和胡萝卜苷。     

Sulfated glycosaminoglycans and low-density lipoprotein receptor mediate the cellular entry of Clostridium novyi alpha-toxin

Dear Editor, Clostridium novyi(C.novyi)is a spore-forming anaerobic bacterium and opportunistic pathogen causing severe infectious diseases in humans and animal...     

TEB/POLQ plays dual roles in protecting Arabidopsis from NO-induced DNA damage

Nitric oxide (NO) is a key player in numerous physiological processes. Excessive NO induces DNA damage, but how plants respond to this damage remains unclear. We screened and identified an Arabidopsis NO hypersensitive mutant and found it to be allelic to TEBICHI/POLQ, encoding DNA polymerase θ. The teb mutant plants were preferentially sensitive to NO- and its derivative peroxynitrite-induced DNA damage and subsequent double-strand breaks (DSBs). Inactivation of TEB caused the accumulation of spontaneous DSBs largely attributed to endogenous NO and was synergistic to DSB repair pathway mutations with respect to growth. These effects were manifested in the presence of NO-inducing agents and relieved by NO scavengers. NO induced G2/M cell cycle arrest in the teb mutant, indicative of stalled replication forks. Genetic analyses indicate that Polθ is required for translesion DNA synthesis across NO-induced lesions, but not oxidation-induced lesions. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that Polθ bypasses NO-induced base adducts in an error-free manner and generates mutations characteristic of Polθ-mediated end joining. Our experimental data collectively suggests that Polθ plays dual roles in protecting plants from NO-induced DNA damage. Since Polθ is conserved in higher eukaryotes, mammalian Polθ may also be required for balancing NO physiological signaling and genotoxicity.