Expression of recombinant and mosaic Cry1Ac receptors from Helicoverpa armigera and their influences on the cytotoxicity of activated Cry1Ac to Spodoptera litura Sl-HP cells

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin receptors play important roles in the killing of pests, and investigation on characterization of the receptors is essential for utilization of Bt and management of insect resistance. Here, recombinant and mosaic receptors of Bt Cry1Ac toxin from Helicoverpa armigera were expressed in Spodoptera litura Sl-HP cells and their influences on cytotoxicity of activated Cry1Ac toxin were investigated. When H. armigera aminopeptidase N1 (APN1), alkaline phosphatase 2 (ALP2) and cadherin fused with or without GFP tag were, respectively, expressed in Sl-HP cells, live cell-immunofluorescence staining detection revealed that the quantity of the toxin binding to cadherin or cadherin-GFP was much more than that binding to ALP2 and APN1 or their fusion proteins with GFP, and only the cadherin- or cadherin-GFP-expressing cells showed aberrant cell morphology after the treatment of the toxin at low concentrations. ALP2 and APN1 fused with or without GFP tag did not significantly enhance the cadherin-mediated cytotoxicity of the toxin. The mosaic ALP-TBR-GFP-GPI was located on cell membrane, but did not bind to the toxin. The mosaic truncated cadherin-GFP-GPI was not located on cell membrane even if the signal peptide was sustained. The concentrations of the toxin resulting in swelling of 50 % cells for noncadherin-expressing Sl-HP cells and cadherin-expressing Hi5 cells were 5.08 and 9.50 µg/ml within 1 h, respectively. Taken together, our data have indicated that the binding affinity of ALP2 and APN1 to activated Cry1Ac toxin is much weaker than that of cadherin and both ALP2 and APN1 do not enhance the cytotoxicity of the toxin even though cadherin is co-expressed, and the mosaic receptor of ALP2 inserted with cadherin toxin binding domain does not mediate cytotoxicity of the toxin. In addition, the noncadherin-expressing Sl-HP cells are more susceptible to activated Cry1Ac than the cadherin-expressing Hi5 cells.     

Mangrove root: adaptations and ecological importance

Key message

This review gives a comprehensive overview of adaptations of mangrove root system to the adverse environmental conditions and summarizes the ecological importance of mangrove root to the ecosystem.

Abstract

In plants, the first line of defense against abiotic stress is in their roots. If the soil surrounding the plant root is healthy and biologically diverse, the plant will have a higher chance to survive in stressful conditions. Different plant species have unique adaptations when exposed to a variety of abiotic stress conditions. None of the responses are identical, even though plants have become adapted to the exact same environment. Mangrove plants have developed complex morphological, anatomical, physiological, and molecular adaptations allowing survival and success in their high-stress habitat. This review briefly depicts adaptive strategies of mangrove roots with respect to anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and also the major advances recently made at the genetic and genomic levels. Results drawn from the different studies on mangrove roots have further indicated that specific patterns of gene expression might contribute to adaptive evolution of mangroves under high salinity. We also review crucial ecological contributions provided by mangrove root communities to the ecosystem including marine fauna.

     

生境异质性对鼎湖山常绿阔叶林群落功能多样性的影响

物种共存机制一直以来是群落生态学的研究热点。为了探讨异质生境条件下鼎湖山常绿阔叶林群落功能多样性变化,找到其变化的主要环境驱动因子,该研究利用位于鼎湖山20 hm~2监测样地第2次群落调查数据并选择代表不同生境(海拔和地形)的27个样方(20 m×20 m),于2013年夏季在样地内所选样方中测定所有胸径≥1 cm树种的叶片功能性状。所测性状包括形态学性状(比叶面积、叶片干物质含量、叶面积以及叶片长宽比)和化学计量学性状(叶片碳、氮、磷的含量),结合地形和土壤数据并通过分析功能多样性随环境梯度的变化,探讨了环境过滤和竞争在鼎湖山群落物种共存中的相对重要性。结果表明:功能分歧度和群落权重平均值与环境因素关系密切,尤其是海拔、凹凸度和土壤养分。环境条件较好区域(微尺度高海拔、高凹凸度和土壤养分含量)的植物采取统一的养分有效保存(低SLA,高LDMC)的适应策略(功能分歧度低),环境过滤所起作用更强;植物在相反的环境条件下,采取快速生长策略(高SLA,低LDMC),能够更好地适应环境的变化,且性状变化是多样的(功能分歧度高),在该条件下竞争作用更为显著。叶面积和叶片氮含量的分歧度在环境条件较好的区域增大,这与其他功能性状不一致,说明不同生态位轴(环境因素)影响不同性状的分歧度变化,并且在局域尺度上植物为了更好地适应环境变化采取了多样的适应策略。     

Influence of connection type on the biomechanical behavior of distal extension mandibular removable partial dentures supported by implants and natural teeth

Few studies are performed to evaluate the influence of connection type on the stress distribution of distal extension mandibular removable partial dentures (RPDs) supported by both implants and natural teeth. In this study, five three-dimensional finite element models were prepared to simulate mandibular bilateral partially edentulous arches. Four were RPDs supported by both implants and natural teeth, and the other one was RPDs supported only by natural teeth. The maximum equivalent (EQV) stress values of bone around implants, the abutments, and the mucosa displacements of the related supporting structures were measured. It was found that a non-rigid telescopic coping was more favorable to protect the implant than a rigid telescopic coping. Compared with other connection types, the easy resilient attachment (ERA) system seemed to be effective to associate implant without complications. However, the results obtained in the present study should be cautiously interpreted in the clinic.     

Long noncoding RNA SPRY4-IT1 regulates intestinal epithelial barrier function by modulating the expression levels of tight junction proteins

Epithelial cells line the intestinal mucosa and form an important barrier to a wide array of noxious substances in the lumen. Disruption of the barrier integrity occurs commonly in various pathologies. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) control diverse biological processes, but little is known about the role of lncRNAs in regulation of the gut permeability. Here we show that the lncRNA SPRY4-IT1 regulates the intestinal epithelial barrier function by altering expression of tight junction (TJ) proteins. SPRY4-IT1 silencing led to dysfunction of the epithelial barrier in cultured cells by decreasing the stability of mRNAs encoding TJ proteins claudin-1, claudin-3, occludin, and JAM-1 and repressing their translation. In contrast, increasing the levels of SPRY4-IT1 in the intestinal mucosa protected the gut barrier in mice exposed to septic stress by increasing the abundance of TJ proteins. SPRY4-IT1 directly interacted with TJ mRNAs, and this process was enhanced through the association with the RNA-binding protein HuR. Of interest, the intestinal mucosa from patients with increased gut permeability exhibited a decrease in the levels of SPRY4-IT1. These findings highlight a novel role for SPRY4-IT1 in controlling the intestinal epithelial barrier and define a mechanism by which SPRY4-IT1 modulates TJ expression by altering the stability and translation of TJ mRNAs.