Use of a generalized additive model to investigate key abiotic factors affecting microcystin cellular quotas in heavy bloom areas of Lake Taihu

Lake Taihu is the third largest freshwater lake in China and is suffering from serious cyanobacterial blooms with the associated drinking water contamination by microcystin (MC) for millions of citizens. So far, most studies on MCs have been limited to two small bays, while systematic research on the whole lake is lacking. To explain the variations in MC concentrations during cyanobacterial bloom, a large-scale survey at 30 sites across the lake was conducted monthly in 2008. The health risks of MC exposure were high, especially in the northern area. Both Microcystis abundance and MC cellular quotas presented positive correlations with MC concentration in the bloom seasons, suggesting that the toxic risks during Microcystis proliferations were affected by variations in both Microcystis density and MC production per Microcystis cell. Use of a powerful predictive modeling tool named generalized additive model (GAM) helped visualize significant effects of abiotic factors related to carbon fixation and proliferation of Microcystis (conductivity, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), water temperature and pH) on MC cellular quotas from recruitment period of Microcystis to the bloom seasons, suggesting the possible use of these factors, in addition to Microcystis abundance, as warning signs to predict toxic events in the future. The interesting relationship between macrophytes and MC cellular quotas of Microcystis (i.e., high MC cellular quotas in the presence of macrophytes) needs further investigation.     

Arp2/3 complex-dependent actin networks constrain myosin II function in driving retrograde actin flow

The Arp2/3 complex nucleates actin filaments to generate networks at the leading edge of motile cells. Nonmuscle myosin II produces contractile forces involved in driving actin network translocation. We inhibited the Arp2/3 complex and/or myosin II with small molecules to investigate their respective functions in neuronal growth cone actin dynamics. Inhibition of the Arp2/3 complex with CK666 reduced barbed end actin assembly site density at the leading edge, disrupted actin veils, and resulted in veil retraction. Strikingly, retrograde actin flow rates increased with Arp2/3 complex inhibition; however, when myosin II activity was blocked, Arp2/3 complex inhibition now resulted in slowing of retrograde actin flow and veils no longer retracted. Retrograde flow rate increases induced by Arp2/3 complex inhibition were independent of Rho kinase activity. These results provide evidence that, although the Arp2/3 complex and myosin II are spatially segregated, actin networks assembled by the Arp2/3 complex can restrict myosin II-dependent contractility with consequent effects on growth cone motility.     

Piwi/piRNAs control food intake by promoting neuropeptide F expression in locusts

Animal feeding, which directly affects growth and metabolism, is an important physiological process. However, the contribution of PIWI proteins and PIWI‐interacting RNAs (piRNAs) to the regulatory mechanism of animal feeding is unknown. Here, we report a novel function of Piwi and piRNAs in regulating food intake in locusts. Our study shows that the locust can serve as a representative species for determining PIWI function in insects. Knockdown of Piwi1 expression suppresses anabolic processes and reduces food consumption and body weight. The reduction in food intake by knockdown of Piwi1 expression results from decreased expression of neuropeptide NPF1 in a piRNA‐dependent manner. Mechanistically, intronic piRNAs might enhance RNA splicing of NPF1 by preventing hairpin formation at the branch point sites. These results suggest a novel nuclear PIWI/piRNA‐mediated mechanism that controls food intake in the locust nervous system.     

罗布麻和大麻状罗布麻UV-B光受体UVR8基因的鉴定及表达分析

在植物响应紫外线B(ultraviolet-B,UV-B)的过程中,UV-B光受体UVR8(UV Resistance Locus 8)对植物的光形态建成和生长代谢等过程具有重要调控作用。为探究罗布麻属植物UV-B光受体信息,该研究通过罗布麻(Apocynum venetum)和大麻状罗布麻(A. cannabinum)全基因组数据进行UV-B光受体UVR8的筛选与生物信息学分析,同时利用转录组数据分析UV-B胁迫处理下的UVR8基因表达模式。结果表明:(1)罗布麻有6个UVR8基因,大麻状罗布麻有5个UVR8基因,前者分布在1、7、9和11号染色体上,后者分布在1、8和9号染色体上。(2)UVR8蛋白为亲水性稳定蛋白,定位在细胞核,不存在跨膜结构和信号肽,二级结构主要由延伸链、无规则卷曲、α-螺旋和β-转角构成。AvUVR8b和AcUVR8a蛋白三级结构与拟南芥UVR8(AtUVR8)最为类似,并且与小粒咖啡(CaUVR8)和伊德斯种咖啡(CeUVR8)的亲缘关系最近。同时发现罗布麻AvUVR8b和大麻状罗布麻AcUVR8a基因和蛋白结构与AtUVR8基因及蛋白高度相似。(3)当以一定剂量UV-B(17.52 kJ·m^-2·d^-1)处理两种罗布麻植株时,AvUVR8b和AcUVR8a的表达量上调。据此推测在响应UV-B时,AvUVR8b基因在罗布麻中起主要作用,AcUVR8a基因在大麻状罗布麻中起主要作用。(4)顺式作用元件分析结果表明,UVR8的表达受光照、温度、水分、氧气和激素等因素的调控。该研究将为进一步研究罗布麻属UVR8的基因功能奠定基础,同时为解析罗布麻属植物适应UV-B的分子机制提供线索。     

Genomic insights into selection for heterozygous alleles and woody traits in Populus tomentosa

Heterozygous alleles are widespread in outcrossing and clonally propagated woody plants. The variation in heterozygosity that underlies population adaptive evolution and phenotypic variation, however, remains largely unknown. Here, we describe a de novo chromosome-level genome assembly of Populus tomentosa, an economic and ecologically important native tree in northern China. By resequencing 302 natural accessions, we determined that the South subpopulation (Pop_S) encompasses the ancestral strains of P. tomentosa, while the Northwest subpopulation (Pop_NW) and Northeast subpopulation (Pop_NE) experienced different selection pressures during population evolution, resulting in significant population differentiation and a decrease in the extent of heterozygosity. Analysis of heterozygous selective sweep regions (HSSR) suggested that selection for lower heterozygosity contributed to the local adaptation of P. tomentosa by dwindling gene expression and genetic load in the Pop_NW and Pop_NE subpopulations. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) revealed that 88 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within 63 genes are associated with nine wood composition traits. Among them, the selection for the homozygous AA allele in PtoARF8 is associated with reductions in cellulose and hemicellulose contents by attenuating PtoARF8 expression, and the increase in lignin content is attributable to the selection for decreases in exon heterozygosity in PtoLOX3 during adaptive evolution of natural populations. This study provides novel insights into allelic variations in heterozygosity associated with adaptive evolution of P. tomentosa in response to the local environment and identifies a series of key genes for wood component traits, thereby facilitating genomic-based breeding of important traits in perennial woody plants.     

Length–weight relationships for four endemic fish species from the Yalu River,China

Length–weight relationships (LWRs) are presented for four endemic fish species caught in the upper Yalu River during the yearly surveys (2017) by either electrofishing or fish cage net (5 mm mesh size) as soon as the ice melted. The parameter b ranged between 2.244 in Gobio macrocephalus and 3.428 in Ladislavia taczanowskii. Additionally, the parameter a ranged between 0.004 in Misgurnus bipartitus and 0.059 in Gobio macrocephalus. All length‐weight relationships were highly significant (r² ≥ 0.8754) on a log scale.     

Increased accumulation of anthocyanins in transgenic potato tubers by overexpressing the 3GT gene

In order to explore a biotechnological method for improving potato tuber color and creating plants with increased anthocyanin contents, a potato UDP-glucose: flavonoid-3-O-glucosyltransferase (3GT) gene was inserted behind the GBSSI promoter of pBin19, and this construct was introduced into Solanum tuberosum L. cultivar Désirée plants by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Six independent transgenic lines overexpressing the 3GT gene were identified by PCR and Southern blot analysis from 18 kanamycin-resistant plants. Due to the expression of 3GT gene, the tuber color and the anthocyanin content were enhanced noticeably in the transgenic plants compared to the wild-type control plants. This result suggests that the 3GT gene can potentially be used to improve potato color and enhance levels of antioxidants in the diet.     

中国红豆杉紫杉烯合酶cDNA的分离、表达和鉴定

紫杉烯合酶是一种二萜环化酶,催化牛儿基牛儿基焦磷酸形成紫杉醇生物合成过程中的中间体紫杉烯.利用PCR扩增同源探针筛选cDNA文库,克隆了一个编码中国红豆杉(Taxus chinensis (Pilg.) Rehd.)紫杉烯合酶3′端的2 151 bp的cDNA片段,也通过PCR扩增得到了该基因5′端的611 bp的cDNA片段,将这两个cDNA片段拼接在一起,得到长2 712 bp的cDNA片段,具有一个2 586个碱基的开放阅读框架(ORF),编码包括质体转移肽在内的共862个氨基酸残基;该酶与太平洋红豆杉紫杉烯合酶有97%的同源性(identity),与其他植物萜类环化酶也有较高的同源性.利用融合表达载体pET-32a在大肠杆菌BL21trxB中表达,所表达的融合蛋白以包含体形式存在.包含体经过变性、复性和再折叠,利用His残基亲和凝胶柱层析得到融合的紫杉烯合酶.用毛细管气相色谱-质谱联用对酶促反应产物进行分析,结果表明,融合的紫杉烯合酶能催化产生4(5),11(12)-紫杉烯.