Substrate availability regulates the suppressive effects of Canada goldenrod invasion on soil respiration

基质有效性调节加拿大一枝黄花入侵对土壤呼吸的抑制作用 外来植物入侵不仅会降低河边近岸湿地生态系统植被多样性,而且会改变湿地生态系统的地下碳过程。外来入侵植物加拿大一枝黄花(Solidago canadensis L.)已广泛入侵我国东南部地区,但加拿大一枝黄花入侵对入侵地生态系统地下土壤碳循环过程的影响却知之甚少。本研究通过野外原位观测实验和温室模拟入侵实验,探究外来植物加拿大一枝黄花入侵对入侵地土壤呼吸的影响规律及其驱动因素。野 外原位观测实验开展于2018年7月21日至12月15日,期间每周测定样地土壤呼吸。温室模拟入侵实验开展于2019年7月15日至12月15日,期间每月1日与15日上午测定土壤呼吸、自养呼吸和异养呼吸。土壤呼吸、自养呼吸和异养呼吸通过静态箱结合深埋根系隔离法测定。野外原位观测实验和温室模拟入侵实验结果均显示,加拿大一枝黄花的入侵降低了土壤二氧化碳的排放通量。加拿大一枝黄花入侵对土壤呼吸的抑制作用可能归因于其入侵引起的土壤可利用底物质量与数量的变化,表明外来入侵植物加拿大一枝黄花可通过改变植物释放基质以及与本地植物和/或土壤微生物争夺土壤有效基质而影响土壤碳循环。这些研究结果对于评估外来入侵植物对入侵地地下碳动态的影响以及对全球变暖的贡献具有重要意义。     

Adaptive T cell immunotherapy in cancer

Impaired tumor-specific effector T cells contribute to tumor progression and unfavorable clinical outcomes. As a compensatory T cell-dependent cancer immunoediting strategy, adoptive T cell therapy(ACT) has achieved encouraging therapeutic results,and this strategy is now on the center stage of cancer treatment and research. ACT involves the ex vivo stimulation and expansion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes(TILs) with inherent tumor reactivity or T cells that have been genetically modified to express the cognate chimeric antigen receptor or T cell receptor(CAR/TCR), followed by the passive transfer of these cells into a lymphodepleted host. Primed T cells must provide highly efficient and long-lasting immune defense against transformed cells during ACT. Anin-depth understanding of the basic mechanisms of these living drugs can help us improve upon current strategies and design better next-generation T cell-based immunotherapies. From this perspective, we provide an overview of current developments in different ACT strategies, with a focus on frontier clinical trials that offer a proof of principle. Meanwhile, insights into the determinants of ACT are discussed, which will lead to more rational, potent and widespread applications in the future.     

GDF11 prevents the formation of thoracic aortic dissection in mice: Promotion of contractile transition of aortic SMCs

Thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) is an aortic disease associated with dysregulated extracellular matrix composition and de-differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Growth Differentiation Factor 11 (GDF11) is a member of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) superfamily associated with cardiovascular diseases. The present study attempted to investigate the expression of GDF11 in TAD and its effects on aortic SMC phenotype transition. GDF11 level was found lower in the ascending thoracic aortas of TAD patients than healthy aortas. The mouse model of TAD was established by β-aminopropionitrile monofumarate (BAPN) combined with angiotensin II (Ang II). The expression of GDF11 was also decreased in thoracic aortic tissues accompanied with increased inflammation, arteriectasis and elastin degradation in TAD mice. Administration of GDF11 mitigated these aortic lesions and improved the survival rate of mice. Exogenous GDF11 and adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV-2)-mediated GDF11 overexpression increased the expression of contractile proteins including ACTA2, SM22α and myosin heavy chain 11 (MYH11) and decreased synthetic markers including osteopontin and fibronectin 1 (FN1), indicating that GDF11 might inhibit SMC phenotype transition and maintain its contractile state. Moreover, GDF11 inhibited the production of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, 3, 9 in aortic SMCs. The canonical TGF-β (Smad2/3) signalling was enhanced by GDF11, while its inhibition suppressed the inhibitory effects of GDF11 on SMC de-differentiation and MMP production in vitro. Therefore, we demonstrate that GDF11 may contribute to TAD alleviation via inhibiting inflammation and MMP activity, and promoting the transition of aortic SMCs towards a contractile phenotype, which provides a therapeutic target for TAD.     

Electrically Control Lateral Shift Owning to Guided-Wave Surface Plasmon Resonance with a Lithium Niobate Prism

Electrically controlled lateral shift by an electro-optic crystal prism is studied theoretically. The resonance point of excitation of guided-wave surface plasmon resonance (GWSPR) can be controlled by altering the refractive index of the prism. That is to say, the positions corresponding to the least reflectivity and the largest lateral shift could be conveniently modulated while the lithium niobate prism is operated in an external electric field. The maximal lateral shift is obtained at the excitation of GWSPR when the thickness of the silver film is optimized. The results of numerical simulations confirm theoretical calculation.

     

Phosphorylation of elongation factor-2 kinase differentially regulates the enzyme's stability under stress conditions

Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is associated with the majority of cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in China. Despite this, there is no effective method for the early detection of HBV-induced liver cancer. Aberrant fucosylation is known to occur during the development of HCC. We, therefore, developed a method of applying matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to analyze the relationship between aberrant fucosylation, tumor genesis and progression of HBV-associated HCC, and to establish proteomic profiling of serum for early diagnosis of HCC. The MALDI-TOF MS was based on Lens culinaris agglutinin (LCA) lectin magnetic beads and their affinity for separation. The method was applied initially to a 'training' cohort of 111 serum samples obtained from subjects in China with no liver disease (n=26), chronic hepatitis B without cirrhosis (n=21), HBV-infected cirrhosis (n=32), or HBV-infected HCC (n=32). In contrast to previous findings, the results of our profiling analysis demonstrated defucosylation on some of the glycoproteins involved in HCC. HCC was then diagnostically classified in a 'blind test' cohort (n=96). In this group we demonstrated that, HCC could be distinguished from all serum samples, HBV-associated chronic liver disease, and HBV-associated cirrhosis with a sensitivity/specificity of 70%/70%, 78%/74%, and 81%/82%, respectively. When combined with serum alpha-fetoprotein detection (AFP>20 ng/mL), the sensitivity/specificity improved to 78%/88%, 85%/88%, and 89%/91%, respectively. In conclusion, serum glycoprotein fucosylation abnormalities have diverse forms in patients with HCC. MALDI-TOF MS profiling of aberrant serum fucosylated glycoproteins distinguished HCC from controls with high accuracy.     

Morphological and molecular characterization of fertile tetraploid somatic hybrids produced by protoplast electrofusion and PEG-induced fusion between Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. and Lycopersicon peruvianum Mill.

Summary Mesophyl protoplasts of two genotypes of cultivated tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) and one of its wild relative species (Lycopersicon peruvianum Mill.) were fused by using electrofusion and polyethyleneglycol-induced fusion. Forty-three fertile tetraploid somatic hybrid plants, each deriving from separate calli, were recovered from both fusion procedures. Electrofusion appeared more efficient than chemical fusion for the production of somatic hybrids. These plants appeared morphologically similar, whatever the fusion procedure and tomato genotype. They had intermediate leaf, inflorescence, and flower morphology. After self-pollination, the hybrids set fruit of intermediate size and color. The hybrid nature of these plants was confirmed by isoelectric focusing of the Rubisco small subunits used as nuclear markers. L. esculentum and L. peruvianum were distinguished by means of two chloroplast markers: CF1-ATPase subunit as analyzed by isoelectro-focusing and ct DNA restriction patterns. All hybrids displayed both ct markers of only one parent with no biased transmission. Mitochondrial (mt) DNAs were prepared from flower buds by using miniaturized CsCl gradients. Preliminary analysis indicated that mt genomes from the hybrids all differed from those of both parents. mt DNA Sall restriction enzyme analysis revealed that all but two hybrids contained one novel fragment of 13.5 kb. Gene mapping experiments showed that the mt apocytochrome b and ATPase subunit 9 homologies in the somatic hybrid mt DNA resembled L. esculentum and L. peruvianum, respectively; the mt nad5 probe distinguished at least four distinct patterns in the hybrids. These results indicated that mt DNA rearrangements involving intergenomic recombinations occurred through protoplast fusion. A greater mt DNA polymorphism was induced with chemical fusion than with electrofusion.     

Combinatorial and synergistic properties of CaMV 35S enhancer subdomains.

We have analyzed expression conferred by five subdomains of the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S enhancer in mature transgenic plants. Expression was detected from subdomains that gave no expression at earlier stages of development indicating developmental regulation of expression and confirming the modular organization of the enhancer. In several cases the expression patterns are highly restricted in cell type, providing useful markers for developmental studies. Comparison of expression patterns conferred by various combinations of 35S enhancer cis-elements suggests that synergistic interactions among cis-elements may play an important role in defining tissue-specific expression. This has implications for the nature of a cis-element combinatorial code that could define expression throughout development.