Proteomic Analysis of Interactions Between the Generalist Herbivore <Emphasis Type="Italic">Spodoptera exigua</Emphasis> (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis thaliana</Emphasis>

In this study, comparative proteomics was used to investigate the interaction of Spodoptera exigua and Arabidopsis thaliana. By using 2-D electrophoresis of differentially expressed proteins, combined with high-throughput matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and MALDI-TOF/TOF MS, the changes in the abundance of proteins induced by insect feeding were studied in A. thaliana. More than 1,100 protein spots were reproducibly detected on each gel. The intensities of 30 protein spots in particular changed significantly, showing differences in volume of at least twofold. Among these, 17 protein spots were upregulated, and 13 were downregulated following an 8-h insect feeding period. Nineteen insect-feeding-responsive proteins were identified, all of which were involved in metabolic regulation, binding functions or cofactor requirement of protein, cell rescue, and defense and virulence, as assessed by Munich Information Center for Protein Sequences function category. About 50% of these were involved in metabolism, including transketolase, S-adenosylmethionine synthase 3, 2,3-biphosphoglycerate-independent phosphoglycerate mutase, beta-ureidopropionase, GDP-d-mannose 3′,5′-epimerase, and fatty acid synthase. The identification of insect-feeding-responsive proteins on Arabidopsis provides not only new insights into insect stress but also a good start for further investigation of their functions. Understanding how the plant responses to insects in the proteomic level will provide tools for a better management of insect pest in the field.     

强化玉米饮食对小鼠肠道菌群结构和功能的影响

【目的】采用高通量测序方法研究强化玉米饮食对小鼠肠道菌群结构的影响以及可提高宿主糖代谢相关菌群功能基因的分析。【方法】分别给予两组小鼠(各10只)常规饮食和强化玉米饮食(1/4的玉米粉加3/4的常规饮食成分),喂养10周,之后采集小鼠粪便样本,提取DNA,使用高通量测序仪进行宏基因组测序分析,比较两组小鼠肠道菌群和功能基因的差异。【结果】两组小鼠的终末体重没有明显差异。各样本DNA的测序有效率足够,肠道菌群的多样性存在一定差异。属放线菌门(Actinobacteria)的双歧杆菌(Bifidobacteriales)-B.pseudolongum分支和Coriobacteriia-Collinsella/Enterorhabdus分支的丰度在强化玉米饮食组的小鼠中显著升高,相应的宏基因组中涉及糖酵解和胆汁酸合成的一些酶和功能单元的含量也在强化玉米饮食组显著升高。【结论】强化玉米饮食可以提高肠道菌群中双歧杆菌等益生菌的丰度,增加宏基因组糖脂代谢相关基因和通路的含量,从而可能促进宿主的糖代谢功能。     

艾比湖湿地芦苇根际土壤氨氧化古菌的多样性和群落结构

【目的】旨在揭示耐盐植物芦苇根际与非根际土壤AOA群落结构间的差异,为深入研究盐生植物根际土壤微生物与耐盐性之间的关系提供理论基础。【方法】应用高通量测序技术以氨单加氧酶基因(amoA)为分子标记,对新疆艾比湖湿地荒漠生态系统不同季节(春、夏、秋)芦苇根际与非根际土壤氨氧化古菌(AOA)的多样性和群落结构进行研究。【结果】结果表明,不同季节芦苇根际土壤AOA多样性和丰富度存在差异,相比非根际土壤,夏季和秋季芦苇根际土壤AOA多样性较低丰富度较高,春季多样性较高丰富度较低。芦苇根际土壤中AOA的多样性为春季夏季秋季。AOA群落组成分析表明,土壤样品中AOA群落主要集中在泉古菌门(Crenarchaeota)和奇古菌门(Thaumarchaeota),其中泉古菌门为主要优势菌门。RDA分析表明,含水量(SM)、有机质(SOM)、总氮(TN)和pH是影响芦苇根际土壤AOA群落多样性和丰富度的主要环境因子。【结论】不同季节芦苇根际土壤AOA多样性及丰富度存在差异,相比非根际土壤,芦苇根际土壤AOA更丰富。     

环境无机汞对泥鳅视网膜S100表达影响

用含低浓度Hg2 的水饲养泥鳅(Misgurnus anguillicaudatus),研究Hg2 污染对视网膜中S100免疫反应阳性结构数量及分布的影响。用免疫组织化学ABC法标记S100免疫阳性(S100-IR)细胞,显微镜下观察S100免疫反应阳性细胞并计数。结果显示,处理组S100首先在神经节细胞层(GCL)、神经纤维层(NFL)表达,然后逐渐在其他各层表达。与对照组相比,处理组S100免疫反应阳性细胞数显著增多,且该变化与环境中无机汞处理时间成正相关;阳性细胞胞体明显膨胀,突起稠密粗大,S100阳性反应强。研究提示,Hg2 的神经毒害作用导致泥鳅视网膜中S100-IR细胞数的增多。推测Hg2 污染可能对视网膜有伤害性影响,而神经胶质细胞在视网膜修复过程中起了重要作用。     

QuikChange shuffling: a convenient and robust method for site-directed mutagenesis and random recombination of homologous genes

Here we describe a robust method, termed QuikChange shuffling, for efficient site-directed mutagenesis and random recombination of homologous genes. The homologous genes are fragmented, and the random fragments are reassembled in a self-priming polymerase reaction to obtain chimeric genes. The product is then mixed with linearized vector and two pairs of complementary mutagenic primers, followed by assembly of the chimeric genes and linearized vector through QuikChange-like amplification to introduce recombinant plasmids with a site-directed mutation. The method, which can yield 100% chimeric genes after library construction, is more convenient and efficient than current DNA shuffling methods.     

Disease-driven detection of differential inherited SNP modules from SNP network

Detection of the synergetic effects between variants, such as single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), is crucial for understanding the genetic characters of complex diseases. Here, we proposed a two-step approach to detect differentially inherited SNP modules (synergetic SNP units) from a SNP network. First, SNP-SNP interactions are identified based on prior biological knowledge, such as their adjacency on the chromosome or degree of relatedness between the functional relationships of their genes. These interactions form SNP networks. Second, disease-risk SNP modules (or sub-networks) are prioritised by their differentially inherited properties in IBD (Identity by Descent) profiles of affected and unaffected sibpairs. The search process is driven by the disease information and follows the structure of a SNP network. Simulation studies have indicated that this approach achieves high accuracy and a low false-positive rate in the identification of known disease-susceptible SNPs. Applying this method to an alcoholism dataset, we found that flexible patterns of susceptible SNP combinations do play a role in complex diseases, and some known genes were detected through these risk SNP modules. One example is GRM7, a known alcoholism gene successfully detected by a SNP module comprised of two SNPs, but neither of the two SNPs was significantly associated with the disease in single-locus analysis. These identified genes are also enriched in some pathways associated with alcoholism, including the calcium signalling pathway, axon guidance and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction. The integration of network biology and genetic analysis provides putative functional bridges between genetic variants and candidate genes or pathways, thereby providing new insight into the aetiology of complex diseases.     

Effects of Revegetation on Soil Microbial Biomass,Enzyme Activities,and Nutrient Cycling on the Loess Plateau in China

Revegetation is a traditional practice widely used for soil and water conservation on the Loess Plateau in China. However, there has been a lack of reports on soil microbial–biochemical indices required for a comprehensive evaluation of the success of revegetation systems. In this study, we examined the effects of revegetation on major soil nutrients and microbial–biochemical properties in an artificial alfalfa grassland, an enclosed natural grassland, and an artificial shrubland (Caragana korshinskii), with an abandoned cropland as control. Results showed that at 0–5, 5–20, and 20–40 cm depths, soil organic carbon, alkaline extractable nitrogen and available potassium were higher in natural grassland and artificial shrubland compared with artificial grassland and abandoned cropland. Soil microbial biomass C (Cmic) and phosphorous (Pmic) substantially decreased with depth at all sites, and in abandoned cropland was significantly lower than those of natural grassland, artificial grassland, and artificial shrubland at the depth of 0–5 cm. Soil microbial biomass N (Nmic) was higher in artificial shrubland and abandoned cropland compared with that in natural and artificial grasslands. Both Cmic and Pmic were significantly different between the 23‐year‐old and the 13‐year‐old artificial shrublands at the 0–5 cm depth. The activities of soil invertase, urease, and alkaline phosphatase in natural grassland and artificial shrubland were higher than those in artificial grassland and abandoned cropland. This study demonstrated that the regeneration of both natural grassland and artificial shrubland effectively preserved and enhanced soil microbial biomass and major nutrient cycling, thus is an ecologically beneficial practice for recovery of degraded soils on the Loess Plateau.     

红藻氨酸癫痫大鼠海马GFAP基因调控蛋白表达的变化

目的和方法：用Southwestern印迹从红藻氨酸（KA）癫痫大鼠海马结构中筛选调控胶质原纤维酸性蛋白（GFAP）基因表达的DNA结合蛋白;并观察其在海马内表达变化的规律,旨在从基因调控水平深入探讨癫痫反复发作形成的神经病理学机制。结果：Southwestern印迹的实验显示海马结构内有两种调控GFAP基因表达的序列特异的DNA结合蛋白,分子量分别为39kDa和35.5kDa;KA后1d,两种调控蛋白的表达即开始增加,5－7d时表达显著增加,3周时表达最多,3个月时表达仍很高。结论：KA通过上调调控GFAP基因表达的转录因子,使海马GFAP过量表达,提示该转录调控因子很可能参与一次KA后癫痫反复发作的形成。     

粉防己碱拮抗豚鼠庆大霉素急性肾损伤的实验研究

目的 :探讨粉防己碱 (Tet)在庆大霉素 (GM)急性肾损伤中的拮抗作用。方法 :将豚鼠分为对照组、Tet组、GM组和Tet+GM组 ,于第 1 1d留取尿标本和肾组织 ,测定尿中NAG活性 ,观察肾组织学改变 ,用免疫组化技术测定Actin和TGF β1 在肾脏的表达。结果 :光镜和电镜显示Tet+GM组肾脏病理变化比GM组轻 ,细胞凋亡也明显少于GM组。Tet+GM组NAG活性比GM组低 (P <0 .0 1 ) ,而TGF β1 和Actin的表达在Tet +GM组高于GM组(P <0 .0 1 )。结论 :Tet能明显降低GM所致的急性肾损伤时NAG活性 ,减少Actin的破坏和细胞凋亡 ,诱导内源性TGF β1 蛋白表达水平上调 ,对GM急性肾损伤有拮抗作用