Crumbs proteins stabilize the cone mosaics of photoreceptors and improve vision in zebrafish

Although the unique organization of vertebrate cone mosaics was first described long ago,both their underlying molecular basis and physiological significance are largely unknown.Here,we demonstrate that Crumbs proteins,the key regulators of epithelial apical polarity,establish the planar cellular polarity of photoreceptors in zebrafish.Via heterophilic Crb2a-Crb2b interactions,the apicobasal polarity protein Crb2b restricts the asymmetric planar distribution of Crb2a in photoreceptors.The planar polarized Crumbs proteins thus balance intercellular adhesions and tension between photoreceptors,thereby stabilizing the geometric organization of cone mosaics.Notably,loss of Crb2b in zebrafish induces a nearsightedness-like phenotype in zebrafish accompanied by an elongated eye axis and impairs zebrafish visual perception for predation.These data reveal a detailed mechanism for cone mosaic homeostasis via previously undiscovered apical-planar polarity coordination and propose a pathogenic mechanism for nearsightedness.     

Genetic Analysis of Human Adenovirus Type 7 Strains Circulating in Different Parts of China

To investigate the molecular epidemiology and genetic variation of human adenovirus type 7(HAdV-7) in children with acute respiratory infections(ARI) in China. HAdV-7-positive respiratory samples collected from children with ARI in Beijing, Shijiazhuang, Wenzhou and Guangzhou from 2014–2018 were selected for gene amplification and sequence analysis. Fifty-seven HAdV-7 clinical strains with hexon, penton base and fiber gene sequences were obtained. Meanwhile17 strains were selected randomly from different cities for whole genome sequencing. Phylogenetic and variation analyses were performed based on the obtained sequences, HAdV-7 prototype strain Gomen(AY594255), vaccine strains(AY495969 and AY594256) and representative sequences of strains. The phylogenetic trees constructed based on whole genome sequences, major capsid protein genes(hexon, penton base and fiber) and the early genes(E1, E2, E3 and E4) were not completely consistent. The HAdV-7 strains obtained in this study always clustered with most of the circulating strains worldwide from the 1980 s to the present. Compared with the HAdV-7 prototype strain Gomen(AY594255), some amino acid mutations in loop1 and loop2 of hexon and the RGD loop region of the penton base gene were observed. Recombination analysis showed that partial regions of 55 k Da protein and 100 kDa hexon-assembly associated protein genes among all HAdV-7 strains in this study were from HAdV-16 and HAdV-3, respectively. Our study demonstrated the molecular evolution characteristics of HAdV-7 strains circulating in China and provided basic reference data for the prevention, control and vaccine development of HAdV-7.     

Current Status of Human Papillomavirus-Related Head and Neck Cancer: From Viral Genome to Patient Care

Virologica Sinica - Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection identified as a definitive human carcinogen is increasingly being recognized for its role in carcinogenesis of human cancers. Up to...     

A Multicenter Study of Viral Aetiology of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Hospitalized Children in Chinese Mainland

Virologica Sinica - Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide. In this study, we aimed to describe the aetiology of viral...     

4种河鲀全基因组微卫星分布特征分析

本研究利用MISA软件对四种河鲀全基因组中的微卫星进行筛选并分析.结果如下:在红鳍东方鲀(Takifugu rubripes)(391.49 Mb)、菊黄东方鲀(T.flavidus)(366.29 Mb)、双斑东方鲀(T.bimaculatus)(371.68 Mb)及黑青斑河鲀(Tetraodon nigroviridis)(342.40 Mb)全基因组中,分别筛选出142 885个、135 009个、147 549个和179 703个完整型微卫星.相对丰度分别为365个/Mb,369个/Mb,397个/Mb和525个/Mb.微卫星总长度分别为2 876 322 bp,2 689 710 bp,3 140 445 bp 和3 615 069 bp,分别占基因组序列总长度的0.73％,0.73％,0.84％和1.06％.在1～6个不同碱基重复类型完整型微卫星中,四种河鲀的6种碱基类型数目排序是一致的.均是单碱基重复数目最多,然后依次是二碱基、三碱基、四碱基、五碱基和六碱基.其中AC,A,C,AG,AGG,AT,AAT和AAC是四种河鲀共有的常见核心重复类别.东方鲀属(Takifugu)三种河鲀基因组微卫星分布特征极为相似,分析红鳍东方鲀和双斑东方鲀的遗传距离可能更为接近.鲀属(Tetraodon)黑青斑河鲀与其他三种东方鲀属河鲀除部分微卫星特征相似外,在微卫星总数、微卫星相对丰度和密度、部分碱基类型数目及类别方面和东方鲀属差距较大.这可能与两属鱼类地理分布及进行滑动复制的碱基组成有关,推测东方鲀属和鲀属基因组可能具有独特的进化机制.本研究为多种河鲀基因组特征分析、多种河鲀微卫星引物设计、不同属种河鲀遗传距离及亲缘关系的探究等奠定了基础.     

Congruent spatial patterns of species richness and phylogenetic diversity in karst flora: Case study of Primulina (Gesneriaceae)

The karst landform in southern China is renowned for its high levels of species diversity and endemism. Globally, karst ecosystems are under threat from unsustainable anthropogenic disturbance and climate changes and are among the most threatened ecosystems worldwide. In this study, we used the typical karst endemic genus in southern China, Primulina Hance, as a model to identify areas within the karst landform with high diversity and to investigate congruence between phylogenetic and species‐based measures of diversity. Using phylogenetic information and species distribution data, we measured geographical patterns of diversity with four metrics: species richness (SR), corrected weighted endemism (CWE), phylogenetic diversity (PD), and phylogenetic endemism (PE). Our results revealed a high spatial congruence among SR, PD, and PE, with hotspot areas identified in the Nanling Mountains (i.e., north Guangdong and northeast Guangxi) and southeast Yungui Plateau (i.e., north and southwest Guangxi), whereas the hotspots of CWE are comparatively uniform throughout the geographic extent. The categorical analysis of neo‐ and paleoendemism identified a pattern of mixed neo‐ and paleoendemism in numerous grid cells, suggesting that karst areas in southern China have acted as both “museums” and “cradles” of plant evolution. Conservation gap analysis of hotspots revealed that the majority of prioritized hotspots (>90%) of the genus are outside of protected areas, therefore indicating the limited effectiveness of national nature reserves for the karst flora. Overall, our results suggest that the karst flora merits more conservation attention and SR can be an effective surrogate to capture PD in conservation planning.     

Evolution and diversity of axon guidance Robo receptor family genes

The diversity of axon guidance (AG) receptors reflects gains in complexity of the animal nervous system during evolution. Members of the Roundabout (Robo) family of receptors interact with Slit proteins and play important roles in many developmental processes, including AG and neural crest cell migration. There are four members of the Robo gene family. However, the evolutionary history of Robo family genes remain obscure. We analyzed the distribution of Robo family members in metazoan species ranging in complexity from hydras to humans. We undertook a phylogenetic analysis in metazoans, synteny analysis, and ancestral chromosome mapping in vertebrates, and detected selection pressure and functional divergence among four mammalian Robo paralogs. Based on our analysis, we proposed that the ancestral Robo gene could have undergone a tandem duplication in the vertebrate ancestor; then one round of whole genome duplication events occurred before the divergence of ancestral lamprey and gnathostome, generating four paralogs in early vertebrates. Robo4 paralog underwent segmental loss in the following evolutionary process. Our results showed that Robo3 paralog is under more powerful purifying selection pressure compared with other three paralogs, which could correlate with its unique expression pattern and function. Furthermore, we found four sites under positive selection pressure on the Ig1‐2 domains of Robo4 that might interfere with its binding to Slits ligand. Diverge analysis at the amino acid level showed that Robo4 paralog have relatively greater functional diversifications than other Robo paralogs. This coincides with the fact that Robo4 predominantly functions in vascular endothelial cells but not the nervous system.     

高血压的临床诊断、预防和治疗

高血压是动脉血压持续偏高的慢性疾病.长期高血压会导致众多的并发症,如冠状动脉疾病、中风、心脏衰竭、心房颤动、周边动脉阻塞、视力模糊、慢性肾脏病及痴呆症等病症.降低血压和致命并发症的风险在于改变生活方式与药物控制,体育锻炼、降低体重、适度摄取盐分、少喝酒及均衡饮食等,这些方式都有助于高血压的控制.本研究对积极预防、正确诊断和合理治疗高血压提供了系统的知识和建议.