The intronic promoter of Actin4 mediates high-level transgene expression mainly in the wing and epidermis of silkworms

Transgenic Research - The cytoplasmic actin gene Actin4 (A4) in silkworm (Bombyx mori) was isolated 20 years ago and has a distal promoter upstream of the first exon and a proximal...     

Physiological and molecular advances in magnesium nutrition of plants

Plant and Soil - Phytoremediation of soil contaminated by trace elements is a technology using plants and microorganisms to sequester, inactivate, or extract contaminants from the soil. The...     

Transcriptomic analyses reveal potential mechanisms of premature senescence in hexaploid Populus

Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC) - The important role of polyploidy in plant evolution is widely recognized. However, many questions concerning how polyploidy affects the plant...     

Plant litter quality regulates soil eco-enzymatic stoichiometry and microbial nutrient limitation in a citrus orchard

Plant and Soil - The impacts associated with litter decomposition in intensive cropping on eco-enzymatic stoichiometry and microbial nutrient limitation are still under debate. To evaluate the...     

Genetic diversity of mitochondrial D-LOOP sequences in the spotted scat (Scatophagus argus) from different geographical populations along the northern coast of the South China Sea

The genetic diversity of 289 spotted scat (Scatophagus argus) from seven populations along the northern coast of the South China Sea was studied by analyzing the full-length sequences of the mitochondrial control region (D-LOOP). The S. argus D-LOOP sequence was 1,004–1,010 bp long and contained 156 variant sites. The seven studied S. argus populations had a high degree of genetic diversity (haplotype diversity [Hd] = 0.99135; nucleotide diversity (π) = 0.01313). There was no obvious genetic differentiation among the seven geographical populations and gene exchange was frequent (Fst = −0.01867–0.01117, p > .05). Four distinct mitochondrial lineages were identified in the phylogenetic tree and the haplotype network. The between-lineage Fst was 0.71690–0.84940 (p < .001), but these lineages showed no obvious phylogeographic pattern. Based on D-LOOP mutation rates, we estimated that the four lineages diverged approximately 513,800–93,600 years ago, during the Eocene ice age, at which time falling sea levels may have led to population segregation. We estimated that S. argus population expansion occurred approximately 2.29–0.68 million years ago, during the late Pleistocene. During this period, sea levels rose again, allowing previously separated lineages to come into sympatry, which eventually gave rise to a highly genetically diverse population without pyhlogeographic structure. Here, we characterized the genetic structure and differentiation of seven S. argus populations from the northern coast of the South China Sea. Our results suggested that the seven S. argus populations from the northern coast of the South China Sea have a relatively low level of genetic variation and can be considered a single unit for the purposes of fishery development, utilization, and management.     

Valproate-Induced Epigenetic Upregulation of Hypothalamic Fto Expression Potentially Linked with Weight Gain

Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology - Valproate (VPA), a widely-used antiepileptic drug, is a selective inhibitor of histone deacetylase (HDAC) that play important roles in epigenetic regulation....     

Autophagy in Xp11 translocation renal cell carcinoma: from bench to bedside

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry - Xp11 translocation renal cell carcinoma (tRCC) characterized by the rearrangement of the TFE3 is recently identified as a unique subtype of RCC that urgently...