Genetic Diversities of Cymbidium mosaic virus and Odontoglossum ringspot virus Isolates Based on the Coat Protein Genes from Orchids in Guangdong Province,China

Orchids are some of the most important ornamental flowers. Cymbidium mosaic virus (CymMV) and Odontoglossum ringspot virus (ORSV) are the most prevalent and economically important viruses affecting orchids in China. In this study, 20 CymMV and 28 ORSV isolates were selected for genetic diversity analysis. The CymMV isolates shared 84.6–100% and 89.5–100% identities of coat protein (CP) at the nucleotide (nt) and amino acid (aa) levels, respectively. The identities of ORSV isolates were 96.4–100% (nt) and 92.5–99.4% (aa). The CP genes of CymMV were found to have genetic diversity, and the CP genes of ORSV were genetically conservative. These results can aid in designing effective disease‐control strategies.     

First Report of Myrothecium roridum Causing Leaf Spot on Anthurium andraeanum in China

A new severe disease on Anthurium andraeanum Lind. was observed in the summer of 2011 in Beijing, China. The fungus was isolated from symptomatic leaves, and its pathogenicity was confirmed. Based on the morphological characteristics and molecular analysis, the pathogen was identified as Myrothecium roridum Tode ex Fr. This is the first report of M. roridum causing leaf spot on A. andraeanum in China.     

Energy coupling mechanisms of MFS transporters

Major facilitator superfamily (MFS) is a large class of secondary active transporters widely expressed across all life kingdoms. Although a common 12‐transmembrane helix‐bundle architecture is found in most MFS crystal structures available, a common mechanism of energy coupling remains to be elucidated. Here, we discuss several models for energy‐coupling in the transport process of the transporters, largely based on currently available structures and the results of their biochemical analyses. Special attention is paid to the interaction between protonation and the negative‐inside membrane potential. Also, functional roles of the conserved sequence motifs are discussed in the context of the 3D structures. We anticipate that in the near future, a unified picture of the functions of MFS transporters will emerge from the insights gained from studies of the common architectures and conserved motifs.     

Long‐term balanced fertilization increases the soil microbial functional diversity in a phosphorus‐limited paddy soil

The influence of long‐term chemical fertilization on soil microbial communities has been one of the frontier topics of agricultural and environmental sciences and is critical for linking soil microbial flora with soil functions. In this study, 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing and a functional gene array, geochip 4.0, were used to investigate the shifts in microbial composition and functional gene structure in paddy soils with different fertilization treatments over a 22‐year period. These included a control without fertilizers; chemical nitrogen fertilizer (N); N and phosphate (NP); N and potassium (NK); and N, P and K (NPK). Based on 16S rRNA gene data, both species evenness and key genera were affected by P fertilization. Functional gene array‐based analysis revealed that long‐term fertilization significantly changed the overall microbial functional structures. Chemical fertilization significantly increased the diversity and abundance of most genes involved in C, N, P and S cycling, especially for the treatments NK and NPK. Significant correlations were found among functional gene structure and abundance, related soil enzymatic activities and rice yield, suggesting that a fertilizer‐induced shift in the microbial community may accelerate the nutrient turnover in soil, which in turn influenced rice growth. The effect of N fertilization on soil microbial functional genes was mitigated by the addition of P fertilizer in this P‐limited paddy soil, suggesting that balanced chemical fertilization is beneficial to the soil microbial community and its functions.     

Phylogeographic structure and deep lineage diversification of the red alga Chondrus ocellatus Holmes in the Northwest Pacific

A major goal of phylogeographic analysis using molecular markers is to understand the ecological and historical variables that influence genetic diversity within a species. Here, we used sequences of the mitochondrial Cox1 gene and nuclear internal transcribed spacer to reconstruct its phylogeography and demographic history of the intertidal red seaweed Chondrus ocellatus over most of its geographical range in the Northwest Pacific. We found three deeply separated lineages A, B and C, which diverged from one another in the early Pliocene–late Miocene (c. 4.5–7.7 Ma). The remarkably deep divergences, both within and between lineages, appear to have resulted from ancient isolations, accelerated by random drift and limited genetic exchange between regions. The disjunct distributions of lineages A and C along the coasts of Japan may reflect divergence during isolation in scattered refugia. The distribution of lineage B, from the South China Sea to the Korean Peninsula, appears to reflect postglacial recolonizations of coastal habitats. These three lineages do not coincide with the three documented morphological formae in C. ocellatus, suggesting that additional cryptic species may exist in this taxon. Our study illustrates the interaction of environmental variability and demographic processes in producing lineage diversification in an intertidal seaweed and highlights the importance of phylogeographic approaches for discovering cryptic marine biodiversity.     

干预GPR1通路对实验性小鼠脂肪累积的影响

一直以来,肥胖是令人担忧和烦恼的健康问题,可导致包括2型糖尿病在内的代谢综合征发生.与肥胖相关疾病的发病机制是多因子影响的结果,但是,越来越多的证据表明,脂肪组织分泌的细胞因子(脂联素、瘦素、TNF-α等)的改变,以及局部的炎症反应对于这些疾病的发生具有重要作用.Chemerin(也被称为他扎罗汀诱导基因2或者视黄酸受体反应子2),是近年来发现的一种脂肪细胞因子,是G蛋白偶联受体1(GPR1)的配体,在调节代谢、先天免疫等方面具有重要的作用.为了研究Chemerin及其受体GPR1对小鼠脂肪累积的影响,本课题组通过高脂饲料喂养,成功建立小鼠肥胖模型,利用si RNA干扰技术沉默小鼠和分化前3T3-L1细胞中Chemerin或GPR1基因的表达发现:a.Chemerin及其受体GPR1在高脂饲料喂养小鼠的腹股沟脂肪以及肩胛下脂肪中的表达高于正常饲料组;b.沉默C57BL/6小鼠体内Chemerin或GPR1基因的表达后,肝脏以及腹股沟脂肪组织中脂质的累积受到抑制;c.3T3-L1细胞在体外分化成熟过程中,Chemerin和GPR1也呈高表达的趋势,沉默分化前3T3-L1细胞中Chemerin或GPR1基因的表达后,3T3-L1细胞向脂肪细胞的分化受到影响,降低了脂肪细胞中脂质的累积以及与脂质代谢相关基因的表达,改变了成熟脂肪细胞中新陈代谢功能.这些结果提示,Chemerin及其受体GPR1可能在小鼠脂肪累积中具有调控作用.综上所述,Chemerin/GPR1可能是一种调节脂肪组织中脂质累积的潜在信号通路,为肥胖症等代谢紊乱疾病的治疗提供了可能的作用靶点.