Metabolome and transcriptome profiling of Theobroma cacao provides insights into the molecular basis of pod color variation

Journal of Plant Research - The Theobroma cacao presents a wide diversity in pod color among different cultivars. Although flavonoid biosynthesis has been studied in many plants, molecular...     

Circ-IGF1R plays a significant role in psoriasis via regulation of a miR-194-5p/CDK1 axis

Cytotechnology - Psoriasis is a skin disorder that is classed as an autoimmune disease. It is characterized by excessive proliferation, abnormal migration and differentiation of keratinocytes, as...     

长三角地区休闲游憩服务供需关系研究

依托生态空间的休闲游憩服务是提升人类福祉至关重要的贡献者。但由于经济发展、城市扩张、人口增长等因素,区域休闲游憩服务供需矛盾突出,且供给与需求在空间上错位、不匹配等问题严重。研究休闲游憩服务供需关系对合理规划、管理区域生态用地,促进生态文明建设等方面具有重要的理论和现实价值。以长三角为例,基于土地利用与人口数据,提出不同可达半径下区域休闲游憩服务供需关系的评价方法,研究41个地级市不同可达半径下供需关系的空间分异规律。研究结果表明：（1）2015年长三角地区休闲游憩服务的供需比为1028%,供给远大于需求,但供需关系空间异质性明显,高供给区与高需求区明显错位,空间不匹配问题严重。（2）随着可达半径由0 km扩大至50 km,区域赤字区面积占比由43.14%减少至7.83%,休闲游憩服务需求未得到满足的人口占比由65.47%下降至10.64%。（3）根据41个地级市不同可达半径下休闲游憩服务供需关系的演变规律,将其划分为5种类型区,提出相应的发展建议。研究表明,快速城市化和城市扩张过程中,应强化城区内绿色空间的分散化配置;同时,在长三角经济一体化发展过程中,休闲游憩服务供需的盈余区、赤字区可以建立生态补偿和经济合作关系,促进长三角绿色发展的一体化。     

光免疫治疗的抗肿瘤研究进展

光免疫治疗是一种新兴的肿瘤靶向光疗手段,它将单克隆抗体的肿瘤特异性与光吸收剂的光毒性相结合,可以快速且极具免疫原选择性地诱导靶肿瘤细胞的死亡。由于靶向性强,光免疫治疗的副作用小。而且因为该疗法诱导的免疫原性死亡会引起垂死肿瘤细胞周围未成熟树突状细胞的快速成熟,继而将肿瘤抗原提呈给CD8+T细胞,导致治疗后CD8+T细胞的激活和增殖,增强宿主抗肿瘤免疫反应。不仅如此,光免疫治疗还能通过增强纳米药物的肿瘤组织穿透性而提高疗效。鉴于光免疫治疗的优良应用前景,文中从其免疫激活机制、超级高渗透长滞留效应、新进展与联合治疗等方面进行综述,旨在为其深入研究和临床转化提供参考。     

Marinifaba aquimaris gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel chitin‐degrading gammaproteobacterium in the family Alteromonadaceae isolated from seawater of the Mariana Trench

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek - A novel Gram-negative, rod-shaped, aerobic, oxidase-positive and catalase-negative bacterium, designated strain SM1970T, was isolated from a seawater sample collected from...     

Ptk2b deletion improves mice folliculogenesis and fecundity via inhibiting follicle loss mediated by Erk pathway

Ptk2b has been found playing critical roles in oocyte maturation and subsequent fertilization in vitro. But what is the exact in vivo function in reproduction still elusive. Here, by constructing Ptk2b mutant mice, we found Ptk2b was not essential for mice fertility, unexpectedly, contrary to previously reported in vitro findings, we found Ptk2b ablation significantly improved female fecundity. Follicle counting indicated that the number of primordial follicles and growing follicles in matured mice was significantly increased in the absence of Ptk2b, whereas the primordial follicle formation showed no defects. We also found this regulation was in an autophosphorylation independent pathway, as autophosphorylation site mutant mice (PTK2B^Y402F) show no phenotype in female fertility. Further biochemistry studies revealed that Ptk2b ablation promotes folliculogenesis via Erk pathway mediate follicle survival. Together, we found a novel biological function of Ptk2b in folliculogenesis, which could be potentially used as a therapeutic target for corresponding infertility.     

翻压山黧豆绿肥与氮肥减施对水稻生长及其养分吸收与产量的影响

为探明种植翻压山黧豆绿肥与减施氮肥下的水稻生产潜力,通过3年田间定位试验,设置冬闲+不施肥(NF)、山黧豆绿肥(GM)、冬闲+常规氮肥(100%N,CK)、山黧豆绿肥+80%常规氮肥(GM+80%N)、山黧豆绿肥+70%常规氮肥(GM+70%N)、山黧豆绿肥+60%常规氮肥(GM+60%N)6个处理,研究不同处理对水稻生长、养分吸收及产量的影响。结果表明：(1)与CK相比,翻压山黧豆绿肥并减施氮肥处理均能够显著提升水稻株高、增加水稻分蘖数、提高水稻干物质积累量,其中以GM+70%N施肥处理提升效果最为明显。(2)GM+70%N施肥处理下,不同生育时期水稻株高、有效分蘖数分别较对照常规施肥(100%N)提升了13.32%~ 15.73%和33.98%~59.47%,水稻干物质积累量提高了23.19%~144.18%,且随着生育时期的推进增加速率依次降低。(3)种植翻压山黧豆绿肥并减施氮肥处理下水稻产量均有所提高,其中GM+70%N和GM+80%N处理显著提高,增产分别达13.84%,7.25%,且GM+70%N处理下水稻植株和籽粒养分吸收更为全面。研究发现,种植翻压山黧豆并适量减施氮肥能有效促进水稻生长和养分的吸收积累,显著提高水稻产量,说明翻压山黧豆绿肥可替代稻田30%~40%的氮肥施入量,并可在避免水稻旺长的同时实现水稻高产,是四川水稻种植较好的耕作措施。     

The intact parasympathetic nerve promotes submandibular gland regeneration through ductal cell proliferation

ObjectivesSalivary gland regeneration is closely related to the parasympathetic nerve; however, the mechanism behind this relationship is still unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the parasympathetic nerve and morphological differences during salivary gland regeneration.Materials and MethodsWe used a duct ligation/deligation‐induced submandibular gland regeneration model of Sprague‐Dawley (SD) rats. The regenerated submandibular gland with or without chorda lingual (CL) innervation was detected by haematoxylin–eosin staining, real‐time PCR (RT‐PCR), immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. We counted the number of Ki67‐positive cells to reveal the proliferation process that occurs during gland regeneration. Finally, we examined the expression of the following markers: aquaporin 5, cytokeratin 7, neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) and polysialyltransferases.ResultsIntact parasympathetic innervation promoted submandibular gland regeneration. The process of gland regeneration was significantly repressed by cutting off the CL nerve. During gland regeneration, Ki67‐positive cells were mainly found in the ductal structures. Moreover, the expression of NCAM and polysialyltransferases‐1 (PST) expression in the innervation group was significantly increased during early regeneration and decreased in the late stages. In the denervated submandibular glands, the expression of NCAM decreased during regeneration.ConclusionsOur findings revealed that the regeneration of submandibular glands with intact parasympathetic innervation was associated with duct cell proliferation and the increased expression of PST and NCAM.     

Generation and Characterization of a Nanobody Against SARS-CoV

Virologica Sinica - The sudden emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) has caused global panic in 2003, and the risk of SARS-CoV outbreak still exists. However, no...     

Evolution and diversity of axon guidance Robo receptor family genes

The diversity of axon guidance (AG) receptors reflects gains in complexity of the animal nervous system during evolution. Members of the Roundabout (Robo) family of receptors interact with Slit proteins and play important roles in many developmental processes, including AG and neural crest cell migration. There are four members of the Robo gene family. However, the evolutionary history of Robo family genes remain obscure. We analyzed the distribution of Robo family members in metazoan species ranging in complexity from hydras to humans. We undertook a phylogenetic analysis in metazoans, synteny analysis, and ancestral chromosome mapping in vertebrates, and detected selection pressure and functional divergence among four mammalian Robo paralogs. Based on our analysis, we proposed that the ancestral Robo gene could have undergone a tandem duplication in the vertebrate ancestor; then one round of whole genome duplication events occurred before the divergence of ancestral lamprey and gnathostome, generating four paralogs in early vertebrates. Robo4 paralog underwent segmental loss in the following evolutionary process. Our results showed that Robo3 paralog is under more powerful purifying selection pressure compared with other three paralogs, which could correlate with its unique expression pattern and function. Furthermore, we found four sites under positive selection pressure on the Ig1‐2 domains of Robo4 that might interfere with its binding to Slits ligand. Diverge analysis at the amino acid level showed that Robo4 paralog have relatively greater functional diversifications than other Robo paralogs. This coincides with the fact that Robo4 predominantly functions in vascular endothelial cells but not the nervous system.