Rapid improvement of rice eating and cooking quality through gene editing toward glutelin as target

Rice eating and cooking quality(ECQ) is a major concern of breeders and consumers, determining market competitiveness worldwide. Rice grain protein content(GPC) is negatively related to ECQ,making it possible to improve ECQ by manipulating GPC. However, GPC is genetically complex and sensitive to environmental conditions; therefore, little progress has been made in traditional breeding for ECQ. Here, we report that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of genes encoding the grain storage protein gluteli...     

Rhizosphere soil bacterial communities and nitrogen cycling affected by deciduous and evergreen tree species

Deciduous and evergreen trees differ in their responses to drought and nitrogen (N) demand. Whether or not these functional types affect the role of the bacterial community in the N cycle during drought remains uncertain. Two deciduous tree species (Alnus cremastogyne, an N₂‐fixing species, and Liquidambar formosana) and two evergreen trees (Cunninghamia lanceolata and Pinus massoniana) were used to assess factors in controlling rhizosphere soil bacterial community and N cycling functions. Photosynthetic rates and biomass production of plants, 16S rRNA sequencing and N‐cycling‐related genes of rhizosphere soil were measured. The relative abundance of the phyla Actinobacteria and Firmicutes was higher, and that of Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Gemmatimondaetes was lower in rhizosphere soil of deciduous trees than that of evergreen. Beta‐diversity of bacterial community also significantly differed between the two types of trees. Deciduous trees showed significantly higher net photosynthetic rates and biomass production than evergreen species both at well water condition and short‐term drought. Root biomass was the most important factor in driving soil bacterial community and N‐cycling functions than total biomass and aboveground biomass. Furthermore, 44 bacteria genera with a decreasing response and 46 taxa showed an increased response along the root biomass gradient. Regarding N‐cycle‐related functional genes, copy numbers of ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and autotrophic ammonia‐oxidizing archaea (AOA), N₂ fixation gene (nifH), and denitrification genes (nirK, nirS) were significantly higher in the soil of deciduous trees than in that of the evergreen. Structural equation models explained 50.2%, 47.6%, 48.6%, 49.4%, and 37.3% of the variability in copy numbers of nifH, AOB, AOA, nirK, and nirS, respectively, and revealed that root biomass had significant positive effects on copy numbers of all N‐cycle functional genes. In conclusion, root biomass played key roles in affecting bacterial community structure and soil N cycling. Our findings have important implications for our understanding of plants control over bacterial community and N‐cycling function in artificial forest ecosystems.     

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。     

紫外指纹图谱结合化学计量学对黄精基原植物的鉴别

运用紫外光谱技术结合化学计量学,建立快速鉴别不同基原黄精的方法。通过单因素实验确定黄精最佳提取溶剂、时间和用量,制备测试液,采用紫外光谱技术建立3种基原黄精的紫外指纹图谱,光谱数据转化后进行主成分(PCA)和系统聚类分析(HCA)。该方法重现性、精密度、稳定性较好,结果表明不同种类黄精紫外指纹图谱具有指纹特性,3种基原植物黄精紫外光谱图在210 nm、220 nm、280 nm附近差异明显;聚类分析和主成分分析三维投影图反映出不同种类黄精的化学成分积累具有差异,能较好地区分滇黄精(Polygonatumkingianum)、黄精(P.sibiricum)与多花黄精(P.cyrtonema)。紫外光谱结合化学计量学能快速鉴别不同种类黄精,可作为黄精的鉴别和质量控制新方法,为黄精临床应用、资源开发及黄精属植物分类提供辅助方法。     

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.     

Quantitative effects of common genetic variations in the 3′UTR of the human LDL-receptor gene and their associations with plasma lipid levels in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study

The low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) plays a pivotal role in cholesterol homeostasis. However, the role of genetic variations in the 3′UTR of the LDLR in relation to plasma cholesterol has been largely understudied. Six SNPs, G44243A, G44332A, C44506G, G44695A, C44857T and A44964G, within the 5′ region of the 3′UTR fall into three common haplotypes, GGCGCA, AGCACG, and GGCGTA, occurring at frequencies of 0.45, 0.31 and 0.17, respectively, in Caucasians (n = 29) and 0.13, 0.13 and 0.38, respectively, in African Americans (n = 32), with three other haplotypes occurring at lesser frequencies. In a tissue culture based system, expression of a reporter gene carrying a 3′UTR that includes the 1 kb nucleotide sequences corresponding to the AGCACG or GGCGTA was 70 or 63%, respectively, of the same sequence with GGCGCA. Genotyping of two “haplotype tagging” SNPs, C44857T and A44964G, in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study population showed that in Caucasians, but not in African Americans, the inferred TA haplotype had a significant LDL-cholesterol lowering effect. The adjusted LDL-cholesterol levels in the TA/TA diplotypes were lower by 6.10 mg/dl in men (P < 0.001) and by 4.63 mg/dl in women (P < 0.01) than in individuals with other diplotypes. Caucasian men homozygous for CA, in contrast, showed significantly higher LDL-cholesterol (P < 0.04), lower HDL-cholesterol (P < 0.02) and higher LDL/HDL ratios (P < 0.001). Thus our data shows that 3′UTR sequences that cause higher reporter gene expression in vitro are associated in Caucasians with plasma lipid profiles indicative of higher cardiovascular risk, suggesting that further studies of quantitative variants in the LDLR gene will be valuable. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. An erratum to this article can be found at     

电针诱导心肌缺血大鼠延髓头端腹外侧区nNOS和iNOS差异表达

许多研究表明,延髓头端腹外侧区(rostral ventrolateml medulla,RVLM)的NO/NOS系统参与心血管活动的中枢调节.本实验以结扎Wistar大鼠左冠状动脉前降支法建立急性心肌缺血(acute myocardial ischemia,AMI)动物模型,观察针刺"内关"穴改善AMI大鼠的心功能作用,同时检测大鼠RVLM区神经元型一氧化氮合酶(neuronal nitric oxide synthase,nNOS)和诱导型一氧化氮合酶(inducible nitric oxide synthase,iNOS)表达的变化,进而探讨针刺治疗AMI的中枢机制.实验观察显示,AMI大鼠心功能各项指标减弱,伴随外周血去甲肾上腺素(norepinephrine,NE)和脑钠肽(brain natriuretic peptide,BNP)水平显著升高,同时RVLM区nNOS阳性神经元数和nNOS mRNA表达升高,而iNOS水平则降低.针刺"内关"穴(Pe 6)(每天30 min,连续5天)改善心功能,降低AMI大鼠血清中NE和BNP的水平,同时升高iNOS并降低nNOS在RVLM的表达.以上结果提示,针刺治疗心肌缺血的同时可以调节iNOS/NO和nNOS/NO在RVLM的变化,这可能与针刺通过调节RVLM区的NO含量进而降低交感传出,从而改善AMI大鼠的心功能有关.