Friend or Foe? Implication of the autophagy-lysosome pathway in SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19

There is increasing amount of evidence indicating the close interplays between the replication cycle of SARS-CoV-2 and the autophagy-lysosome pathway in the host cells. While autophagy machinery is known to either assist or inhibit the viral replication process, the reciprocal effects of the SARS-CoV-2 on the autophagy-lysosome pathway have also been increasingly appreciated. More importantly, despite the disappointing results from the clinical trials of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in treatment of COVID-19, there is still ongoing effort in discovering new therapeutics targeting the autophagy-lysosome pathway. In this review, we provide an update-to-date summary of the interplays between the autophagy-lysosome pathway in the host cells and the pathogen SARS-CoV-2 at the molecular level, to highlight the prognostic value of autophagy markers in COVID-19 patients and to discuss the potential of developing novel therapeutic strategies for COVID-19 by targeting the autophagy-lysosome pathway. Thus, understanding the nature of such interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and the autophagy-lysosome pathway in the host cells is expected to provide novel strategies in battling against this global pandemic.     

生防菌Act12铁载体合成酶Ser基因的功能

【目的】通过敲除生防菌Act12铁载体合成酶Ser基因,研究该铁载体在植物防病促生中的作用。【方法】以自杀型质粒p KC1132作为基本载体,两侧为Ser基因上下游片段作为同源交换臂,两个同源臂之间为卡那霉素抗性基因,构建重组质粒p CT12;借助接合转移技术,将该质粒导入Act12,筛选突变株并进行PCR验证;研究Ser基因缺失突变体和野生型菌株Act12在生长速率、铁载体产量、甜瓜种子促生、抗苹果轮纹病菌(Macrophoma kawatsukai)等方面的差异。【结果】经PCR验证及测序均证实Ser基因缺失突变体构建成功。Ser基因突变后,铁载体合成量明显减少,抑制甜瓜种子的萌发及生长,对苹果轮纹病菌拮抗作用降低。【结论】生防菌Act12 Ser合成酶基因参与控制合成的铁载体在对甜瓜种子促生作用和拮抗苹果轮纹病菌中发挥一定作用,为进一步研究Act12防病促生机制奠定基础。     

抑郁症易感基因和抗抑郁药物靶点相关[]神经细胞类型及相互作用网络分析

基于抑郁症的全基因组关联分析研究(GWAS),对于获得的单核苷酸多态性位点(SNP)使用Haploreg软件进行基因注释,得到SNP注释的102个易感基因.。使用MAGMA软件对GWAS的汇总统计数据做基因水平的分析,获得了270个校正之后显著的基因,两者合并共得到320个抑郁症易感基因。通过药物数据库Drugbank获取133个抗抑郁药物靶点基因。使用EWCE包对抑郁症易感基因和抗抑郁药物靶点在三套脑组织单细胞测序数据中,分别进行神经细胞类型富集分析。结果发现大脑皮质的GABA神经元(抑制性神经元)和谷氨酸能神经元(兴奋性神经元)是抑郁症易感基因和抗抑郁药物靶点共同的神经元。这两种类型的神经细胞可能是抗抑郁药物与抑郁症易感基因相互作用的神经细胞,另外少突胶质前体细胞可能是抑郁症特有的易感神经细胞。使用Network Calculator软件构建网络并进行进行网络拓扑学参数分析。结果表明抑郁症易感基因与抗抑郁药物靶点组成了一个具有显著的相互连接的网络。本研究从单细胞层面揭示抑郁症的遗传机制,在网络层面为寻找新的抗抑郁药物靶点提供了一定的启示。     

干旱胁迫对银杏叶片光合系统Ⅱ荧光特性的影响

为了探讨银杏叶片在长期干旱胁迫下光合性能的变化,采用盆栽控水法对银杏幼苗进行干旱处理,并分别在处理后第0、20、30、40、50天,对荧光动力学曲线和荧光参数进行了测定和JIP-test分析.结果表明:随着干旱的加剧,叶片叶绿素含量逐渐递减.由于干旱导致银杏叶片的光合系统Ⅱ(PSⅡ)结构破坏和稳固性减弱,其荧光动力学曲线出现了K相和L相的升高,在干旱处理40 d后升高加剧.PSⅡ结构的变化导致了一系列荧光参数的变化,初始荧光F0逐渐升高,最大荧光Fm逐渐降低;代表单位反应中心活性的参数ABS/RC、ET0/RC、TR0/RC逐渐升高;单位面积捕获的光能TR0/CS0高于对照,单位面积用于电子传递的光能ET0/ CS0后期下降;表示受体侧电子传递活性的参数Sm、Ψ0、(φ)E0逐渐下降,M0、VJ、VI逐渐升高;表示热耗散的参数DI0/RC、DI0/CS0随干旱时间延长而急剧升高;活性反应中心数目RC/CS0减少;代表PSⅡ光合效率的参数Fv/Fm、PIabs逐渐下降;代表PSⅡ供体侧活性的参数Wk随干旱时间延长而逐渐升高,OEC逐渐减少.干旱胁迫导致银杏叶片PSⅡ反应中心失活,能流分配失衡,电子传递受阻,PSⅡ放氧复合体失活和PSⅡ稳固性减弱,从而破坏PSⅡ光合功能.而反应中心失活和受体侧电子QA-的累积是造成PSⅡ电子传递活性减弱的主要原因.干旱条件下,银杏PSⅡ的PIabs比Fv/Fm对干旱的反应更灵敏,可作为银杏叶片受到伤害的指标.     

Biodegradation of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) by a new Penicillium oxalicum strain DSYD05-1

In this study, fungi isolated from soil were screened for their ability to form clear zones on agar plates with emulsified poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL). The most active strain, designated as DSYD05, was identified as Penicillium oxalicum on the basis of morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis. Mutant DSYD05-1, obtained by ultraviolet-light mutagenesis from strain DSYD05, was more effective in PCL degradation. In liquid cultures of the mutant strain with PCL emulsion, DSYD05-1 showed the highest PCL-degrading activity after 4?days of cultivation. The products of PCL degradation were analysed by mass spectrometry; the results indicated that 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid was produced and assimilated during cultivation. The degradation of PCL film by DSYD05-1 was observed by scanning electron microscopy, and was indicative of a three-stage degradation process. The degradation of amorphous parts of the film preceded that of the crystalline center and then the peripheral crystalline regions. In addition, DSYD05-1 showed a wide range of substrate specificity, with capability to degrade PCL, poly(β-hydroxybutyrate), and poly(butylene succinate), but not poly(lactic acid), indicating that the strain could have potential for application in the treatment or recycling of bio-plastic wastes.     

The effects of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry6A on the survival, growth, reproduction, locomotion, and behavioral response of Caenorhabditis elegans

Several families of crystal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis exhibit nematicidal activity. Cry5B protein, a pore-forming toxin, has been intensively studied yielding many insights into the mode of action of crystal protein at molecular level and pathogenesis of pore-forming toxins. However, little attention was paid to Cry6A, another representative nematicidal crystal protein. Cry6A shares very low homology with Cry5B at amino acid sequence and probably acts in a distinct pathway from Cry5B and even the other main commercial crystal proteins. In the current study, we comprehensively investigated the nematicidal properties of Cry6Aa2 against the free-living soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and examined the physical response of C. elegans to Cry6Aa2 attack. Our results indicate that Cry6Aa2 exhibits high lethal activity to C. elegans and could cause detrimental effects on C. elegans, including obviously suppressed growth, decreased brood size, and even abnormal motility. Meanwhile, our study additionally shows that C. elegans could defend against the Cry6Aa2 toxin harmful threat through behavioral defense responses, such as reduced oral uptake and physical avoidance. In general, this study suggests that Cry6Aa2 possesses diverse nematicidal properties, which strongly indicates that Cry6Aa2 is a promising potential candidate of nematicidal agent. Moreover, this study highlights the importance of behavioral responses in defense of C. elegans for survival and demonstrates the key role of crystal protein in the interaction of B. thuringiensis–C. elegans. These findings could shed light on understanding the interaction of C. elegans with B. thuringiensis and provide a perfect model to study the role of pathogenic factor in the interaction of pathogen–host.     

红豆杉组织培养中褐变问题的研究

本研究针对红豆杉组织培养中经常遇到的褐变问题,采取多种方法进行试验,力求最大限度地避免或减轻褐变。结果表明,选择合适的外植体、培养基和培养条件是至关重要的,此外,抗氧化剂、金属离子螫合剂、热激处理和活性碳处理等方法可在一定程度上减轻褐变的程度。综合考虑各种因素,经过筛选可以获得生长良好的不发生褐变的组织。     

衡山青冈栎群落结构及物种多样性研究

利用样方法进行野外群落调查,共设计了15个样方,每个样方大小为20m×5 m,对衡山青冈栎(Cyclobalanopsis glauca)群落的种类组成、外貌、结构特征及物种多样性进行了研究.结果表明:在1 500 m2样地中,共有维管束植物26科37属46种,其中优势科为壳斗科、山茶科和蔷薇科等;该群落主要是以青冈栎为主的单优种群落,生活型谱以高位芽植物占绝对优势,叶级谱以中、小型叶为优势的特点,群落季相不明显;群落分层较明显,乔木层树种很少,灌木层种类较丰富,对群落物种多样性具有较大影响;物种多样性分析显示该群落多样性指数偏低,其多样性复杂程度由高到低的顺序为灌木层、藤本层、乔木层、草本层.     

中国河南两株庚型肝炎病毒（HGV）NS5区部分cDNA的克隆与序列分析

通过逆转录－聚合酶链反应从我国河南省２例重叠感染ＨＣＶ或ＨＢＶ／ＨＤＶ的献血啼中,分离到ＨＢＶＮＳ５区的部分ｃＤＮＡ,对其进行序列分析比较,结果表明,河南株ＨＧＶＮＳ５工核苷酸与两中国ＨＧＶ主同源性高于国外代表株（８８．５－９０．６％）,但由核苷酸推导的氨基酸的同源性都无明显的地区性区别。ＨＧＶＮＳ５区氨基酸序列较保守,缺乏明显高变区,中国４株ＨＧＶ在７３８４位发生了由Ｃ→Ｔ的变异,从而导致一个人