Direct adenylation from 5′-OH-terminated oligonucleotides by a fusion enzyme containing Pfu RNA ligase and T4 polynucleotide kinase

5′-Adenylated oligonucleotides (AppOligos) are widely used for single-stranded DNA/RNA ligation in next-generation sequencing (NGS) applications such as microRNA (miRNA) profiling. The ligation between an AppOligo adapter and target molecules (such as miRNA) no longer requires ATP, thereby minimizing potential self-ligations and simplifying library preparation procedures. AppOligos can be produced by chemical synthesis or enzymatic modification. However, adenylation via chemical synthesis is inefficient and expensive, while enzymatic modification requires pre-phosphorylated substrate and additional purification. Here we cloned and characterized the Pfu RNA ligase encoded by the PF0353 gene in the hyperthermophilic archaea Pyrococcus furiosus. We further engineered fusion enzymes containing both Pfu RNA ligase and T4 polynucleotide kinase. One fusion enzyme, 8H-AP, was thermostable and can directly catalyze 5′-OH-terminated DNA substrates to adenylated products. The newly discovered Pfu RNA ligase and the engineered fusion enzyme may be useful tools for applications using AppOligos.     

Distinct basolateral amygdala excitatory inputs mediate the somatosensory and aversive-affective components of pain

Pain is a multidimensional perception that includes unpleasant somatosensory and affective experiences; however, the underlying neural circuits that mediate different components of pain remain elusive. Although hyperactivity of basolateral amygdala glutamatergic (BLA^Glu) neurons is required for the somatosensory and emotional processing of pain, the precise excitatory inputs to BLA^Glu neurons and their roles in mediating different aspects of pain are unclear. Here, we identified two discrete glutamatergic neuronal circuits in male mice: a projection from the insular cortex glutamatergic (IC^Glu) to BLA^Glu neurons, which modulates both the somatosensory and affective components of pain, and a projection from the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus (MD^Glu) to BLA^Glu neurons, which modulates only the aversive-affective component of pain. Using whole-cell recording and fiber photometry, we found that neurons within the IC→BLA and MD→BLA pathways were activated in mice upon inflammatory pain induced by injection of complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) into their paws. Optical inhibition of the IC^Glu→BLA pathway increased the nociceptive threshold and induced behavioral place preference in CFA mice. In contrast, optical inhibition of the MD^Glu→BLA pathway did not affect the nociceptive threshold but still induced place preference in CFA mice. In normal mice, optical activation of the IC^Glu→BLA pathway decreased the nociceptive threshold and induced place aversion, while optical activation of the MD^Glu→BLA pathway only evoked aversion. Taken together, our results demonstrate that discrete IC^Glu→BLA and MD^Glu→BLA pathways are involved in modulating different components of pain, provide insights into its circuit basis, and better our understanding of pain perception.     

瘦蛋白与皮肤创伤愈合

自1994年瘦蛋白（leptin）被发现以来,其生理作用得到广泛的研究。近年的研究表明,在高等动物的皮肤创伤愈合过程中,胶原与血管的生成、肉芽组织与上皮的再生以及组织的重建等因子,对皮肤的创伤愈合发挥着至关重要的作用,了解瘦蛋白与上述因子之间的相互关系与作用机制,有助于指导治疗,改善预后。     

莱州湾水母种类多样性及群集结构的季节变化

基于2011年5月至2012年4月(除冰期12月和翌年1—2月外)在渤海莱州湾逐月采集的数据资料,系统地开展水母种类组成、数量分布的周年季节变动,弥补自20世纪90年代以来该区域相关资料的不足,有利于掌握该水域水母(主要是小型水母)主要种类数量时空分布特点,促进莱州湾生物类群对生境改变响应的相关研究。结果显示:所有调查中,共出现水母30种,无全年出现的种类。各月中,莱州湾水母以8月种数最多,5月数量居多。各月水母总数量的80%多由1—2种优势种贡献所致;水母优势种类组成季节更替明显。3—5月优势种为八斑唇腕水母;6月为嵊山秀氏水母和贝氏真囊水母;7月为贝氏真囊水母、9月有细颈和平水母;10月为细颈和平水母和大西洋五角水母,8月和11月无明显的优势种,但8月细颈和平水母和曲膝薮枝螅水母数量较多。莱州湾小型水母聚集结构主要呈现季节性时间格局上的变动。春季有八斑唇腕水母为代表、在湾内分布的聚集组;夏季有以嵊山秀氏水母和贝氏真囊水母为代表、在湾口西侧和湾中部分布的聚集组,以及细颈和平水母为代表、在湾中底部分布的聚集组;秋季有四枝管水母和大西洋五角水母为代表、在湾口和中部分布的聚集组。水温对小型水母聚集结构分布具有较为重要的影响作用。大型水母在本调查出现较少。海蜇和沙海蜇出现于6—8月个别站位;海月水母7—10月均有出现,但高密集区出现在10月紧邻莱州湾的湾底水域。     

17β‐Oestradiol facilitates M2 macrophage skewing and ameliorates arrhythmias in ovariectomized female infarcted rats

Epidemiological studies have suggested a lower incidence of arrhythmia‐induced sudden cardiac death in women than in men. 17β‐oestradiol (E2) has been reported to have a post‐myocardial infarction antiarrhythmic effect, although the mechanisms have yet to be elucidated. We investigated whether E2‐mediated antioxidation regulates macrophage polarization and affects cardiac sympathetic reinnervation in rats after MI. Ovariectomized Wistar rats were randomly assigned to placebo pellets, E2 treatment, or E2 treatment +3‐morpholinosydnonimine (a peroxynitrite generator) and followed for 4 weeks. The infarct sizes were similar among the infarcted groups. At Day 3 after infarction, post‐infarction was associated with increased superoxide levels, which were inhibited by administering E2. E2 significantly increased myocardial IL‐10 levels and the percentage of regulatory M2 macrophages compared with the ovariectomized infarcted alone group as assessed by immunohistochemical staining, Western blot and RT‐PCR. Nerve growth factor colocalized with both M1 and M2 macrophages at the magnitude significantly higher in M1 compared with M2. At Day 28 after infarction, E2 was associated with attenuated myocardial norepinephrine levels and sympathetic hyperinnervation. These effects of E2 were functionally translated in inhibiting fatal arrhythmias. The beneficial effect of E2 on macrophage polarization and sympathetic hyperinnervation was abolished by 3‐morpholinosydnonimine. Our results indicated that E2 polarized macrophages into the M2 phenotype by inhibiting the superoxide pathway, leading to attenuated nerve growth factor‐induced sympathetic hyperinnervation after myocardial infarction.     

施肥和刈割对垂穗披碱草（Elymus nutans）、中华羊茅（Festuca sinensis）和羊茅（Festuca ovina）种间竞争力的影响

试验选用青藏高原东部高寒草甸普遍存在的3种禾本科牧草垂穗披碱草(Elymus nutans)、中华羊茅(Festuca sinensis)以及羊茅(Festuca ovina)进行种间竞争的野外研究.通过测定3种牧草生物量的干重,对其进行方差分析并计算了相对产量总和(RYT)以及竞争率(CR).结果如下:对实验物种竞争率(CR)的分析表明垂穗披碱草的竞争力最强,中华羊茅次之,羊茅最差.施肥和刈割处理对于原来的竞争格局没有影响,即在施肥、刈割及其交互作用下3种牧草的竞争等级均是一致的.对试验物种混播的相对产量总和(RYT)的分析表明:在中华羊茅与垂穗披碱草的混播中,两种组成物种利用相同的资源,表现出相互竞争的趋势,这种趋势是非密度依赖的;垂穗披碱草和羊茅混播,在低密度时,羊茅和垂穗披硷草可以共享资源,但是随着密度增加,羊茅和垂穗披碱草表现出竞争相同资源的趋势;在中华羊茅和羊茅的混播中,二者在生长过程中能够共享资源,有相互促进的趋势,表现出共生的关系,且是非密度依赖的.     

家蝇GNBP3基因克隆及感染白色念珠菌后的表达

对家蝇GNBP3基因进行克隆及生物信息学分析,并对该基因在感染白色念珠菌Candida albicans后的表达情况进行研究。从构建的家蝇Musca domestica幼虫c DNA质粒文库中筛选到GNBP3基因,克隆并运用生物信息学方法对该基因及其编码蛋白进行预测和分析。白色念珠菌注射感染家蝇幼虫并收集标本,逆转录,通过荧光定量PCR检测感染样本中GNBP3基因的表达情况,结果进行统计学分析。研究结果表明,GNBP3基因ORF全长1473 bp,编码490个氨基酸,理论分子量为55.8 k Da,等电点为6.85;感染后不同时间点,感染组与对照组比较,在3 h、12 h、36 h、48 h GNBP3 mRNA的表达明显增高,两组比较有显著性差异(P0.05),而24 h表达差异性最小;感染后不同组织中感染组与对照组比较,3 h和12 h时,在体壁、血淋巴、脂肪体中的表达量升高,具有显著性差异(P0.05);24 h时,在血淋巴中的表达量较对照组高,而在唾液腺和脂肪体中的表达量呈下降趋势,均具有显著性差异(P0.05);48 h,在血淋巴和脂肪体中表达量较对照组高,在中肠的表达量较对照组低,均具有显著性差异(P0.01)。成功克隆GNBP3基因且在家蝇感染白色念珠菌后GNBP3的表达水平随时间的推移呈现先升高后降低再升高的趋势,在各组织中以在免疫组织(血淋巴、脂肪体)中的表达显著增高,推测其在真菌识别过程中发挥潜在作用。     

Immune-related microRNAs are abundant in breast milk exosomes

Breast milk is a complex liquid rich in immunological components that affect the development of the infant's immune system. Exosomes are membranous vesicles of endocytic origin that are found in various body fluids and that can mediate intercellular communication. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a well-defined group of non-coding small RNAs, are packaged inside exosomes in human breast milk. Here, we identified 602 unique miRNAs originating from 452 miRNA precursors (pre-miRNAs) in human breast milk exosomes using deep sequencing technology. We found that, out of 87 well-characterized immune-related pre-miRNAs, 59 (67.82%) are presented and enriched in breast milk exosomes (P < 10(-16), χ(2) test). In addition, compared with exogenous synthetic miRNAs, these endogenous immune-related miRNAs are more resistant to relatively harsh conditions. It is, therefore, tempting to speculate that these exosomal miRNAs are transferred from the mother's milk to the infant via the digestive tract, and that they play a critical role in the development of the infant immune system.     

白背飞虱对水稻抗虫品种N22的适应性研究

在室内连续用感虫品种TN1和抗虫品种N22单管饲养白背飞虱(Sogatella furcifera)种群,研究它对抗虫水稻品种的适应性及其体内保护酶的变化,结果表明,白背飞虱在感虫品种TN1和抗虫品种N22品种上饲养1至2代,其卵历期、若虫期和全世代历期均无明显差异,从感虫品种TN1转移到抗虫品种N22上饲养1代,白背飞虱的若虫存活率、雌成虫寿命、体重、蜜露量、产卵量和内禀增长率等均低于在抗虫品种上连续饲养2代,而后者又低于在感虫品种上饲养的指标,白背飞虱在抗虫品种上连续饲养2代后,体内保护酶中超氧化物岐化酶(SOD)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性逐渐接近于感虫品种上连续饲养的结果,说明白背飞虱从感虫品种转到抗虫品种在开始时并不适应,经过连续繁殖多代后白背飞虱逐渐适应,最后导致抗虫品种的抗性丧失。