GenoBaits Soy40K: a highly flexible and low-cost SNP array for soybean studies

<正>Dear Editor,Soybean(Glycine max [L.] Merr.) provides more than half of the oilseeds and more than a quarter of protein worldwide. It is estimated that the production of soybean has to be doubled by 2050 to meet the needs of the rapidly increasing consumption of soybean seeds along with a continuously increasing population(Ray et al., 2013). As such, development of a genotyping platform with high throughput, high efficiency and high precision but low-cost is urgently needed to accelerate...     

Nitric oxide and changes of iron metabolism in exercise

Accumulated data imply that exercise itself might not lead to a true iron deficiency or 'sport anaemia' in a healthy athlete who has adequate iron intake. The higher prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in younger female athletes might be not due to exercise itself, but probably results from dietary choices, inadequate iron intake and menstruation. These factors can also induce iron deficiency or anaemia in the general population. However, exercise does affect iron metabolism, leading to low or sub-optimal iron status. The underlying mechanism is unknown. In this review, recent advances in the study of the effect of exercise on iron metabolism and nitric oxide, and the relationship between nitric oxide and iron status in exercise are discussed. A hypothesis that increased production of nitric oxide might contribute to sub-optimal iron status in exercise is proposed.     

微核技术研究进展

微核试验作为检测染色体损伤最常用而有效的细胞遗传学检测方法之一,经济、简便、快速,在敏感性、特异性和准确性方面,与经典的染色体畸变分析方法基本相当。主要综述国内外微核检测技术的最新研究进展,尤其是微核的自动化检测技术。其中流式细胞仪自动化检测和激光扫描细胞仪自动化检测,以及微核试验高内涵筛选方法由于其特有的优势,应用和发展前景广阔。     

哺乳动物营养代谢的时间生物学研究进展

时间生物学主要是研究生物体内生理和行为的时间机制的学科,而这种机制主要是由生物钟调控的。研究表明,营养代谢的各个方面如葡萄糖转运、糖原异生、脂质合成及降解、氧化磷酸化等作用都受到生物钟核心转录机制的调控,并具有时间敏感性;相反,代谢信号也可以反馈调节生物钟系统,包括生物钟基因表达和行为活动。生物钟的紊乱会造成诸如心血管疾病、肥胖、糖尿病等多种疾病。本文从代谢与生物钟的相互关系、各类营养信号和营养素对生物钟的作用以及生物钟与营养代谢相关疾病的关系等多方面综述了哺乳动物营养代谢的时间生物学研究进展。     

Generation of virus‐resistant potato plants by RNA genome targeting

CRISPR/Cas systems provide bacteria and archaea with molecular immunity against invading phages and foreign plasmids. The class 2 type VI CRISPR/Cas effector Cas13a is an RNA‐targeting CRISPR effector that provides protection against RNA phages. Here we report the repurposing of CRISPR/Cas13a to protect potato plants from a eukaryotic virus, Potato virus Y (PVY). Transgenic potato lines expressing Cas13a/sgRNA (small guide RNA) constructs showed suppressed PVY accumulation and disease symptoms. The levels of viral resistance correlated with the expression levels of the Cas13a/sgRNA construct in the plants. Our data further demonstrate that appropriately designed sgRNAs can specifically interfere with multiple PVY strains, while having no effect on unrelated viruses such as PVA or Potato virus S. Our findings provide a novel and highly efficient strategy for engineering crops with resistances to viral diseases.     

The effect of HMGB1 A box on lung injury in mice with acute pancreatitis

The objective of this study is to observe the effect of high-mobility group protein B1 A Box (HMGB1 A) box on lung injury in mice with acute pancreatitis and its effect on the level of high-mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1) in lung, to explore the mechanism. A total of 60 male Institute of Cancer Research mice were randomly divided into control group (n = 30) and treatment group (n = 30). Severe acute pancreatitis mice model was induced by 20% L-Arg intraperitoneal injection. The recombination HMGB1 A box was used in treatment after modeling. All the mice were killed under anesthesia at 24 and 48 h after the modeling injection. The level of HMGB1 and activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) in lung were measured. The pathological changes of lung were observed. The level of HMGB1 in lung of A box treatment group decreased more significantly 24 h and 48 h after modeling compared with control group. The activity of MPO in lung of A box treatment group decreased more significantly 24 h after modeling compared with control group. The lung tissue pathologic score of A box treatment group decreased more significantly 48 h after modeling compared with control group. HMGB1 expression levels in the lungs were positively related to histological score of injured lung in acute pancreatitis. It indicates that HMGB1 A box is remarkably protective to lung injury induced by acute pancreatitis.     

Synthesis and characterization of thermosensitive graft copolymer of N-isopropylacrylamide with biodegradable carboxymethylchitosan

A novel thermosensitive and hydrogel was designed and synthesized by graft copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) with biodegradable carboxymethylchitosan (CMCS). The influence of the content of CMCS grafted on the properties of the resulted hydrogels was examined. The morphology of the hydrogels was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), their thermal property was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and deswelling/swelling kinetics upon external temperature changes. In comparison with the conventional PNIPAAm hydrogels, the resulted hydrogels have improved thermosensitive properties, including enlarged water content at room temperature and faster deswelling/swelling rate upon heating. The strategy described here presents a potential alternative to the traditional synthesis techniques for thermosensitive hydrogels.     

Ubiquitin-proteasome pathway modulates mouse oocyte meiotic maturation and fertilization via regulation of MAPK cascade and cyclin B1 degradation

Degradation of proteins mediated by ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (UPP) plays important roles in the regulation of eukaryotic cell cycle. In this study, the functional roles and regulatory mechanisms of UPP in mouse oocyte meiotic maturation, fertilization, and early embryonic cleavage were studied by drug-treatment, Western blot, antibody microinjection, and confocal microscopy. The meiotic resumption of both cumulus-enclosed oocytes and denuded oocytes was stimulated by two potent, reversible, and cell-permeable proteasome inhibitors, ALLN and MG-132. The metaphase I spindle assembly was prevented, and the distribution of ubiquitin, cyclin B1, and polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) was also distorted. When UPP was inhibited, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/p90rsk phosphorylation was not affected, but the cyclin B1 degradation that occurs during normal metaphase-anaphase transition was not observed. During oocyte activation, the emission of second polar body (PB2) and the pronuclear formation were inhibited by ALLN or MG-132. In oocytes microinjected with ubiquitin antibodies, PB2 emission and pronuclear formation were also inhibited after in vitro fertilization. The expression of cyclin B1 and the phosphorylation of MAPK/p90rsk could still be detected in ALLN or MG-132-treated oocytes even at 8 h after parthenogenetic activation or insemination, which may account for the inhibition of PB2 emission and pronuclear formation. We also for the first time investigated the subcellular localization of ubiquitin protein at different stages of oocyte and early embryo development. Ubiquitin protein was accumulated in the germinal vesicle (GV), the region between the separating homologous chromosomes, the midbody, the pronuclei, and the region between the separating sister chromatids. In conclusion, our results suggest that the UPP plays important roles in oocyte meiosis resumption, spindle assembly, polar body emission, and pronuclear formation, probably by regulating cyclin B1 degradation and MAPK/p90rsk phosphorylation.     

Ultrathin Co3O4 Layers with Large Contact Area on Carbon Fibers as High‐Performance Electrode for Flexible Zinc–Air Battery Integrated with Flexible Display

A facile and binder‐free method is developed for the in situ and horizontal growth of ultrathin mesoporous Co₃O₄ layers on the surface of carbon fibers in the carbon cloth (ultrathin Co₃O₄/CC) as high‐performance air electrode for the flexible Zn–air battery. In particular, the ultrathin Co₃O₄ layers have a maximum contact area on the conductive support, facilitating the rapid electron transport and preventing the aggregation of ultrathin layers. The ultrathin feature of Co₃O₄ layers is characterized by the transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectra, and X‐ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. Benefiting from the high utilization degree of active materials and rapid charge transport, the mass activity for oxygen reduction and evolution reactions of the ultrathin Co₃O₄/CC electrode is more than 10 times higher than that of the carbon cloth loaded with commercial Co₃O₄ nanoparticles. Compared to the commercial Co₃O₄/CC electrode, the flexible Zn–air battery using ultrathin Co₃O₄/CC electrode exhibits excellent rechargeable performance and high mechanical stability. Furthermore, the flexible Zn–air battery is integrated with a flexible display unit. The whole integrated device can operate without obvious performance degradation under serious deformation and even during the cutting process, which makes it highly promising for wearable and roll‐up optoelectronics.     

角蛋白HGTP及其对羊毛发育的影响

羊毛的主要成分是角蛋白,其组分高甘氨酸-酪氨酸蛋白(HGTP)家族成员KAP6、KAP7和KAP8基因表达对羊毛细度和弯曲等特性具有重要影响。本文从羊毛的组成、角蛋白的生物学特征以及HGTP基因定位和表达对细度的影响等方面进行了综述,旨在为羊毛发育调控研究提供理论参考。