人肠道产甲烷菌与肠道健康

摘要:肠道中甲烷菌可以在严格厌氧的条件下利用H2和碳源生成甲烷,约1/3的正常人体内都可以检测到甲烷。近年来,很多研究发现甲烷菌在维持肠道微生态稳定方面起积极作用,越来越多的研究关注甲烷菌发酵产物(甲烷)在肠道中的代谢,主要集中于甲烷菌与肠道功能失调之间的关系。IBS患者肠道甲烷菌数量常比正常人群少,并且肠道甲烷菌与肥胖症的发生有一定关系。本文对甲烷菌的产甲烷作用在肠道功能稳定方面的作用、甲烷与肠道疾病(肠易激综合症、结肠癌)以及甲烷菌和甲烷与肥胖症的关系进行概述,并从上述几个方面综述肠道产甲烷菌、甲烷与肠道健康的关系。     

Th17细胞的分化、调节及其主要细胞因子和功能

近几年来以分泌白介素17(interleukin 17,IL-17)为特征的辅助性T细胞Th17(T help cell 17,Th17)细胞被认为是有区别于Th1(T help cell 1,Th1)、Th2(T help cell 2,Th2)新型的细胞亚群,它的发现改变了以往人们只将Th细胞分为Th1、Th2的传统分类认识。Th17细胞参与了自身免疫疾病、肿瘤的发生及机体各种炎症的发病机制,其分泌的细胞因子在生物学功能中发挥了极其重要的作用。同时Th17细胞的活化需要各种转化生长因子、IL-6(interleukin 6,IL-6)、IL-23(interleukin 23,IL-23)等细胞因子的参与,活化的Th17细胞同时再进一步的促进各种细胞因子的分泌,以通过分泌IL-17、IL-21(interleukin 21,IL-21)、IL-22(interleukin22,IL-22)、IL-26(interleukin 26,IL-26)、肿瘤坏死因子(tumor necrosis factor,TNF)α等细胞因子导致机体炎症等各种疾病的发生。     

Generation,characterization and crystallization of a cytochrome c1-subunit IV fused cytochrome bc1 complex from Rhodobacter sphaeroides

Cytochrome bc₁ complex catalyzes the reaction of electron transfer from ubiquinol to cytochrome c (or cytochrome c₂) and couples this reaction to proton translocation across the membrane. Crystallization of the Rhodobacter sphaeroides bc₁ complex resulted in crystals containing only three core subunits. To mitigate the problem of subunit IV being dissociated from the three-subunit core complex during crystallization, we recently engineered an R. sphaeroides mutant in which the N-terminus of subunit IV was fused to the C-terminus of cytochrome c₁ with a 14-glycine linker between the two fusing subunits, and a 6-histidine tag at the C-terminus of subunit IV (c₁-14Gly-IV-6His). The purified fusion mutant complex shows higher electron transfer activity, more structural stability, and less superoxide generation as compared to the wild-type enzyme. Preliminary crystallization attempts with this mutant complex yielded crystals containing four subunits and diffracting X-rays to 5.5 Å resolution.     

Nitric oxide regulates ganoderic acid biosynthesis by the S-nitrosylation of aconitase under heat stress in Ganoderma lucidum

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important signalling molecule in stress response of organisms. We previously reported that NO decreases heat stress (HS)-induced ganoderic acid (GA) accumulation in Ganoderma lucidum. To explore the mechanisms by which NO modulates GA biosynthesis under HS, the effect of NO on the reactive oxygen species (ROS) content was examined. The results showed that NO decreased the production of mitochondrial ROS (mitROS) by 60% under HS. Further research revealed that NO reduced the mitROS content by inhibiting aconitase (Acon) activity. The GA content in Acon-silenced (Aconi) strains treated with NO donor did not differ significantly from that in untreated Aconi strains. To study the mechanism by which Acon activity is inhibited, the S-nitrosylation level of Acon was determined. Biotin-switch technology and mass spectrometry analysis were used to show that Acon is S-nitrosylated at the Cys-594 amino acid residue. Substitution of Cys-594 with a Ser, which cannot be S-nitrosylated, abolished the responsiveness of Acon to the NO-induced reduction in its enzymatic activity. These findings demonstrate that NO inhibits Acon activity through S-nitrosylation at Cys-594. In summary, these findings describe mechanism by which NO regulates GA biosynthesis via S-nitrosylation of Acon under HS condition in G. lucidum.     

淮河流域蒸散发时空变化与归因分析

蒸散发（Evapotranspiration,ET）是联结土壤-植被-大气过程的纽带,对理解地表水热平衡至关重要。因此,量化分析ET时空变化特征、揭示其主要控制因子对区域用水管理和农业生产十分重要。利用遥感数据和气象数据,基于BEPS模型估算了1981-2019年的淮河流域ET,分析了该区域ET时空分布特征,并通过敏感度系数和贡献率方法对该区域的ET多年变化特征进行了归因分析,最后借助数值实验方法深入探究影响特湿润年（2003年）ET较低的主要原因。结果表明：（1）1981-2019年淮河流域多年平均ET为549.83 mm,其中夏季ET占全年ET的比值达到47.63%;1981年以来区域ET整体呈极显著上升趋势（4.41 mm/a,P<0.01）;季节上,除冬季外,其他三个季节的ET增幅均呈显著性增加（P<0.05）,四季增幅速率大小依次为：夏季>春季>秋季>冬季;空间上,中东部和南部ET较高,重心模型显示ET高值区域呈显著的由北向南的移动趋势;（2）归因分析结果表明,淮河流域ET对气温变化最敏感,其次为相对湿度、太阳总辐射、叶面积指数（LAI）和降水,但ET对LAI的正敏感性逐渐增强导致LAI的显著升高对流域ET年际变化贡献最大（44.5%）,其次是气温的升高（25.93%）;同时,LAI是春、夏、秋三季ET变化的主导因素,气温是冬季ET变化的主导因素;（3）数值实验显示高相对湿度是引起特湿润年（2003年）ET明显偏低的最主要因素,这与导致长时间序列ET变化的原因不同。因此,建议今后加强极端气候条件下ET变化的归因分析,为更有效地应对全球气候变化提供决策服务。研究结果能够为认识淮河流域环境变化对水循环影响及合理分配区域水资源提供科学参考。     

西双版纳勐海县勐阿水库对亚洲象迁移活动和人—象冲突的潜在影响

2020年1—12月,采用半结构式访查法、痕迹跟踪调查法和无人机跟踪调查法相结合的方法,对拟建西双版纳勐海县勐阿水库涉及区域的亚洲象种群结构、迁移路线等进行了调查,并采用样方法和3S技术对该区域亚洲象取食植物和栖息地适宜性进行了调查和分析,以探讨拟建勐阿水库可能对亚洲象迁移活动和人—象冲突的潜在影响。结果表明：(1)拟建勐阿水库区域活动的亚洲象小种群被称为澜沧江西部种群或西双版纳勐海—普洱澜沧种群,仅由19头亚洲象(10头雄性,9头雌性)组成,有2条亚洲象迁移路线穿越该区域;(2)在研究区域共统计到亚洲象取食植物12目19科32属33种,基本能满足该象群的取食需求;(3)海拔、坡度、植被隐蔽度及食物资源等生态因子的适宜性分析结果显示,大部分区域(包括占总面积14.61%的最适生境和占总面积82.05%的相对适宜生境)都能满足该亚洲象小种群的基本生活需求;(4)2条亚洲象迁移路线中的1条将因水库建设而阻断,迫使该象群改变原来的迁移路线;(5)水库淹没区的植被将被永久破坏,原本连片的适宜栖息地也将受到进一步切割和压缩影响;(6)当食物资源无法满足亚洲象生存需求时,它们可能会选择进入可在较短时间内获得大量食物的农耕区取食农作物和经济作物,随着人流、车流大量增加,亚洲象与人相遇的概率也会大幅度增加。分析认为,拟建勐阿水库将淹没1条迁移通道,对亚洲象迁移活动造成阻碍,迫使象群改变路线,还可能导致更为严重的人—象冲突。建议在水库工程设计和建设过程中采取有效的保护管理措施,减少工程项目对亚洲象种群及其栖息地的负面影响;水库建设和管理部门、林业和草原管理部门等应加强对亚洲象活动的监测和预警,避免亚洲象肇事造成人员伤亡和更大的经济损失。     

The natural agent rhein induces β‐catenin degradation and tumour growth arrest

The natural agent rhein is an ananthraquinone derivative of rhubarb, which has anticancer effects. To determine the mechanisms underlying the anticancer effects of rhein, we detected the effect of rhein on several oncoproteins. Here, we show that rhein induces β‐catenin degradation in both hepatoma cell HepG2 and cervical cancer cell Hela. Treatment of HepG2 and Hela cells with rhein shortens the half‐life of β‐catenin. The proteasome inhibitor MG132 blunts the downregulation of β‐catenin by rhein. The induction of β‐catenin degradation by rhein is dependent on GSK3 but independent of Akt. Treatment of HepG2 and Hela cells with GSK3 inhibitor or GSK3β knockdown abrogates the effect of rhein on β‐catenin. GSK3β knockdown compromises the inhibition of HepG2 and Hela cell growth by rhein. Furthermore, rhein dose not downregulate β‐catenin mutant that is deficient of phosphorylation at multiple residues including Ser33, Ser37, Thr41 and Ser45. Moreover, rhein induces cell cycle arrest at S phase in both HepG2 and Hela cells. Intraperitoneal administration of rhein suppresses tumour cells proliferation and tumour growth in HepG2 xenografts model. Finally, the levels of β‐catenin are reduced in rhein‐treated tumours. These data demonstrate that rhein can induce β‐catenin degradation and inhibit tumour growth.     

LncRNA TUG1 alleviates cardiac hypertrophy by targeting miR-34a/DKK1/Wnt-β-catenin signalling

The current study was designed to explore the role and underlying mechanism of lncRNA taurine up-regulated gene 1 (TUG1) in cardiac hypertrophy. Mice were treated by transverse aortic constriction (TAC) surgery to induce cardiac hypertrophy, and cardiomyocytes were treated by phenylephrine (PE) to induce hypertrophic phenotype. Haematoxylin-eosin (HE), wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and immunofluorescence (IF) were used to examine morphological alterations. Real-time PCR, Western blots and IF staining were used to detect the expression of RNAs and proteins. Luciferase assay and RNA pull-down assay were used to verify the interaction. It is revealed that TUG1 was up-regulated in the hearts of mice treated by TAC surgery and in PE-induced cardiomyocytes. Functionally, overexpression of TUG1 alleviated cardiac hypertrophy both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanically, TUG1 sponged and sequestered miR-34a to increase the Dickkopf 1 (DKK1) level, which eventually inhibited the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signalling. In conclusion, the current study reported the protective role and regulatory mechanism of TUG1 in cardiac hypertrophy and suggested that TUG1 may serve as a novel molecular target for treating cardiac hypertrophy.     

Effect of root exudates on beneficial microorganisms—evidence from a continuous soybean monoculture

Soybean (Glycine max) agriculture is characterized by a high proportion of mono-cropping which results in reduced crop production in the Northeast China. Among all biotic and abiotic factors, changes in soil microbial communities induced by root activities, especially root exudates, might play an important role in these effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate response of microbial biomass and two major beneficial microbial functional groups, ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), to root exudates in an experimental field under continuous soybean monoculture for 13 years. The results showed that microbial biomass carbon changed significantly with years of mono-cropping and correlated with concentrations of genistein (r = 0.4399, P < 0.001) and daidzein (r = 0.4082, P < 0.05) in the rhizosphere. However, root exudates had little effect on the nitrifier community, but reduced nitrification in the rhizosphere. In contrast, total AMF hyphal length was significantly stimulated by genistein (r = 0.5252, P < 0.01). There was a trend that AMF spore density increased in the rhizosphere with increasing years of mono-cropping, while AMF infection was constant over time, which might be attributed to competition between AMF and soil-borne fungal pathogens, as the results of stimulatory effect of flavonoids on fungal community, especially fungal pathogens. Our results suggested that the yield reduction in the beginning of continuous soybean monoculture could be partially attributed to nitrogen availability and yield stabilization after few years to stimulatory effects on AMF. These results imply that some of plant root exudates play a crucial role in changing the soil microbial community, and that underground ecosystem functioning is also affected by interactions among microbial functional groups.