Molecular and Enzymatic Characterization of 9-Cis-epoxycarotenoid Dioxygenases from Mulberry

The Protein Journal - Abscisic acid (ABA) is involved in many physiological regulatory processes in plants, such as leaf shedding, stomatal closure, inhibition of cell elongation, as well as...     

Soil multitrophic network complexity enhances the link between biodiversity and multifunctionality in agricultural systems

Belowground biodiversity supports multiple ecosystem functions and services that humans rely on. However, there is a dearth of studies exploring the determinants of the biodiversity–ecosystem function (BEF) relationships, particularly in intensely managed agricultural ecosystems. Here, we reported significant and positive relationships between soil biodiversity of multiple organism groups and multiple ecosystem functions in 228 agricultural fields, relating to crop yield, nutrient provisioning, element cycling, and pathogen control. The relationships were influenced by the types of organisms that soil phylotypes with larger sizes or at higher trophic levels, for example, invertebrates or protist predators, appeared to exhibit weaker or no BEF relationships when compared to those with smaller sizes or at lower trophic levels, for example, archaea, bacteria, fungi, and protist phototrophs. Particularly, we highlighted the role of soil network complexity, reflected by co-occurrence patterns among multitrophic-level organisms, in enhancing the link between soil biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Our results represent a significant advance in forecasting the impacts of belowground multitrophic organisms on ecosystem functions in agricultural systems, and suggest that soil multitrophic network complexity should be considered a key factor in enhancing ecosystem productivity and sustainability under land-use intensification.     

CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Transgenesis of the Masu Salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) elovl2 Gene Improves n-3 Fatty Acid Content in Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

Marine Biotechnology - Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3), play a very important role in...     

microRNA-140-5p from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells–released exosomes suppresses preeclampsia development

Functional & Integrative Genomics - This work unraveled the action of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells–released exosomes (huc-MSCs-EXO) transfer of miR-140-5p in preeclampsia...     

功能性新型冠状病毒RBD结构域在毕赤酵母表面的展示*

目的:设计并构建新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)受体结合结构域(receptor binding domain,RBD)在毕赤酵母表面的展示体系,并对表面展示的RBD进行功能性评价,从而为以RBD为靶点的高通量药物筛选平台奠定基础。方法:将四种锚定分子与新冠病毒RBD融合,电转化至毕赤酵母中;通过细胞免疫荧光分析,筛选能够成功展示RBD的锚定系统;进一步分析其与血管紧张素转化酶2(angiotensin-converting enzyme 2,ACE2)受体的亲和力,证明展示在细胞表面RBD分子的功能。结果:仅Sed1p锚定分子能够有效呈递RBD至毕赤酵母细胞表面,展示效率约为70%;亲和力分析结果表明,ACE2受体和表面展示RBD的亲和力(K_D = 30.42 nmol/L)与溶液中RBD的亲和力(K_D = 16.00 nmol/L)较为接近。结论:这一体系能够在毕赤酵母表面高效地展示具有生物学功能的RBD,可用于抗新冠病毒RBD药物的高通量筛选和评价。     

工程化外泌体介导巨噬细胞清除肿瘤外泌体*

目的:通过膜表面修饰改造技术构建工程化外泌体(engineered exosomes,enExos),并以此介导巨噬细胞特异性清除膜表面富含表皮生长因子受体(epidermal growth factor receptor,EGFR)的肿瘤外泌体。方法:利用表面展示技术获得膜表面展示趋化因子(chemokine 8,CXCL8)的外泌体,同时在其磷脂双分子层上修饰EGFR核酸适配体制备工程化外泌体;纳米颗粒跟踪和纳米粒度电位分析enExos的尺寸、电位;CCK-8试剂盒检测细胞活力;透射电子显微镜观察enExos与高表达EGFR的肿瘤外泌体的特异性结合;荧光成像技术及流式细胞术分析探究enExos靶向趋化巨噬细胞吞噬高表达EGFR的肿瘤外泌体。结果:成功构建膜表面展示EGFR与CXCL8的工程化外泌体,enExos可以特异性识别并捕获高表达EGFR的肿瘤外泌体,同时利用其趋化因子CXCL8特异性靶向巨噬细胞膜表面趋化因子受体CXCR1/CXCR2,刺激巨噬细胞对肿瘤外泌体的捕获及清除。结论:工程化外泌体促进了特定肿瘤外泌体的清除,为后续深入研究工程化外泌体抑制癌症转移的作用奠定基础,并期望为癌症转移治疗提供新的研究方向。     

GICA和CLIA联合检测SARS-CoV-2特异性抗体的检测策略研究

评价胶体金免疫层析法(GICA)与化学发光法(CLIA)联合检测对降低新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)特异性抗体假阳性的效果。收集2020年1月22日至2020年3月5日就诊于川北医学院附属医院及南充市中心医院的19例SARS-CoV-2确诊患者不同时段的血清33份,55例非SARS-CoV-2、其他病原体感染及自身免疫性疾病患者的血清55份,采用GICA和CLIA分别对血清SARS-CoV-2 IgM、IgG进行检测,并对结果进行分析。GCIA检测SARS-CoV-2 IgM、IgG的敏感性分别为100.0%、94.74%,与CLIA(92.86%和100.0%)比较没有差异(P>0.05);GCIA检测SARS-CoV-2 IgM、IgG的特异性分别为70.91%、74.55%,明显低于CLIA的特异性(98.18%和89.09%)(P<0.01);两种方法检测SARS-CoV-2 IgM、IgG结果具有一致性(P<0.001),Kappa值分别为0.434,0.406;ROC曲线分析发现,GCIA检测SARS-CoV-2 IgM、IgG的AUC分别为0.855、0.846,明显低于CLIA(0.955和0.945)(P<0.05)。两种方法联合检测SARS-CoV-2 IgM、IgG的敏感性分别为92.86%、94.74%,特异性分别为100.0%、100.0%;ROC曲线分析显示,联合检测SARS-CoV-2 IgM、IgG的AUC分别为0.964、0.974,高于两种方法的单独检测。GICA和CLIA联合检测能有效提高SARS-CoV-2 IgM和IgG的检测特异性,值得临床推广应用。     

Downregulation of tripartite motif protein 11 attenuates cardiomyocyte apoptosis after ischemia/reperfusion injury via DUSP1-JNK1/2

Currently, the prevention of ischemic diseases such as myocardial infarction associated with ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remains to be a challenge. Thus, this study was designed to explore the effects of tripartite motif protein 11 (TRIM11) on cardiomyocytes I/R injury and its underlying mechanism. Cardiomyocytes AC16 were used to establish an I/R injury cell model. After TRIM11 downregulation in I/R cells, cell proliferation (0, 12, 24, and 48 h) and apoptosis at 48 h as well as the related molecular changes in oxidative stress-related pathways was detected. Further, after the treatment of TRIM11 overexpression, SP600125, or DUSP1 overexpression, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and related genes were detected again. As per our findings, it was determined that TRIM11 was highly expressed in the cardiomyocytes AC16 after I/R injury. Downregulation of TRIM11 was determined to have significantly reduced I/R-induced proliferation suppression and apoptosis. Besides, I/R-activated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling and cleaved caspase 3 and Bax expression were significantly inhibited by TRIM11 downregulation. In addition, the overexpression of TRIM11 significantly promoted apoptosis in AC16 cells, and JNK1/2 inhibition and DUSP1 overexpression potently counteracted the induction of TRIM11 overexpression in AC16 cells. These suggested that the downregulation of TRIM11 attenuates apoptosis in AC16 cells after I/R injury probably through the DUSP1-JNK1/2 pathways.