ER-lysosome lipid transfer protein VPS13C/PARK23 prevents aberrant mtDNA-dependent STING signaling

Mutations in VPS13C cause early-onset, autosomal recessive Parkinson’s disease (PD). We have established that VPS13C encodes a lipid transfer protein localized to contact sites between the ER and late endosomes/lysosomes. In the current study, we demonstrate that depleting VPS13C in HeLa cells causes an accumulation of lysosomes with an altered lipid profile, including an accumulation of di-22:6-BMP, a biomarker of the PD-associated leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) G2019S mutation. In addition, the DNA-sensing cGAS-STING pathway, which was recently implicated in PD pathogenesis, is activated in these cells. This activation results from a combination of elevated mitochondrial DNA in the cytosol and a defect in the degradation of activated STING, a lysosome-dependent process. These results suggest a link between ER-lysosome lipid transfer and innate immune activation in a model human cell line and place VPS13C in pathways relevant to PD pathogenesis.     

马鞍列岛褐菖鲉Sebasticus marmoratus栖息地适宜性评价

为了评估趋礁鱼类在岛礁海域的生境适宜度,选取马鞍列岛的褐菖鲉(Sebasticus marmoratus)为指示物种,以2009年获取的水深、盐度、叶绿素a、浊度和底质数据作为褐菖鲉春、冬季栖息地指示因子,建立栖息地适宜度曲线,并计算各站点的栖息地适宜性指数(HSI)。结果显示:1)绿华、花鸟、嵊山沿岸站点HSI普遍较低,枸杞岛、三横山、东库山沿岸站点褐菖鲉HSI相对较高,其中最大值1.0出现在枸杞岛沿岸的站点;2)春季褐菖鲉幼鱼的适宜水深在6 m左右,成鱼适宜在8—12 m的水深处生存;冬季褐菖鲉对8—12 m的水深适宜性良好;3)春季所有褐菖鲉的适宜盐度为30PSU,冬季幼鱼的适宜盐度为27—31PSU,成鱼的适宜盐度为27PSU、31PSU;4)随着叶绿素a和浊度值的增大,褐菖鲉适宜性逐渐降低。底质类型为岩时最适合褐菖鲉生存。5)相关分析显示,褐菖鲉丰度与底质类型相关性最大,而与叶绿素a、浊度呈显著负相关。研究结果表明,初级生产力和浑浊程度越高对褐菖鲉丰度抑制越明显。底质类型是褐菖鲉丰度分布的重要影响因子,其中分布有较多大型海藻的岩礁生境是其最适宜的栖息地。利用2010年春、冬季环境调查和渔获数据进行HSI模型验证,资源丰度随HSI值升高而增加,因此构建的模型可用于趋礁鱼类在岛礁海域的栖息地适宜性分析。     

Design,synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel carbazole derivatives as potent DNMT1 inhibitors with reasonable PK properties

The DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) were found in mammals to maintain DNA methylation. Among them, DNMT1 was the first identified, and it is an attractive target for tumour chemotherapy. DC_05 and DC_517 have been reported in our previous work, which is non-nucleoside DNMT1 inhibitor with low micromolar IC₅₀ values and significant selectivity towards other S-adenosyl-_L-methionine (SAM)-dependent protein methyltransferases. In this study, through a process of similarity-based analog searching, a series of DNMT1 inhibitors were designed, synthesized, and evaluated as anticancer agents. SAR studies were conducted based on enzymatic assays. And most of the compounds showed strong inhibitory activity on human DNMT1, especially WK-23 displayed a good inhibitory effect on human DNMT1 with an IC₅₀ value of 5.0 µM. Importantly, the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of WK-23 was obtained with quite satisfying oral bioavailability and elimination half-life. Taken together, WK-23 is worth developing as DNMT1-selective therapy for the treatment of malignant tumour.     

Validation of candidate genes putatively associated with resistance to SCMV and MDMV in maize (Zea mays L.) by expression profiling

Background  

The potyviruses sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) and maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV) are major pathogens of maize worldwide. Two loci, Scmv1 and Scmv2, have ealier been shown to confer complete resistance to SCMV. Custom-made microarrays containing previously identified SCMV resistance candidate genes and resistance gene analogs were utilised to investigate and validate gene expression and expression patterns of isogenic lines under pathogen infection in order to obtain information about the molecular mechanisms involved in maize-potyvirus interactions.     

中国顶丝藻科（Acrochaetiaceae）新记录I

中国顶丝藻科新记录６种。密集旋体藻Ａｕｄｏｕｉｎｅｌｌｅｄｅｎｓａ,亮管旋体藻Ａ．ｈｙａｌｏｓｉｐｈｏｎｉａｅ,小旋体藻Ａ．ｐａｒｖｕｌａ,羽状旋体藻Ａ．ｐｌｕｍｏｓａ,顶生旋体藻Ａ．ｔｅｒｍｉｎａｌｉｓ,图氏旋体藻Ａ．ｔｈｕｒｅｔｉｉ。     

安徽马尾松人工林营养元素分配格局的研究

本文系统地研究了马尾松人工林营养元素的分配格局。结果表明马尾松不同器官营养元素含量是叶>枝皮>干皮>枝木>干木;同化器官——针叶中营养元素含量规律为N>K>Ca>Mg>P,非同化器官为Ca>N>K>Mg>P;不同器官营养元素的贮量为干木>干皮>叶>枝木>枝皮,同化器官对不同营养元素的贮量呈N>K>Ca>Mg>P,非同化器官为Ca>N>K>Mg>P;不同立地条件下,马尾松林生产1t干物质所贮存的营养元素不同,立地条件愈好,营养元素效率愈高,贮存愈少;母岩、土层厚度和养分总量是影响马尾松林地上各器官,特别是针叶营养元素含量的重要因子,土壤N、P含量越高,马尾松人工林生物量越大。     

高浓度Cd,Pb污染水域中的微生物生态

用选择性培养基和滤纸片法研究了Cd、Pb污染水域中的微生物生态分布、对Cd、Pb的抗性及富集力。结果表明,污水中微生物量的变化与Cd、Pb浓度不相关。抗性微生物生物量受环境温度影响较大。微生物对Cd、Pb的抗性是霉菌>酵母和细菌,Pb>Cd。霉菌最高抗Cd、Pb浓度可达2×10~4mg·L~(-1)。酵母和细菌最高抗Cd浓度为5000mg·L~(-1)、Pb浓度为1×10~4mg·L~(-1),抗性微生物对Cd、Pb的富集力与其抗性及Cd、Pb的毒性密切相关。含Cd、Pb污水中的优势菌有欧文氏菌、产碱杆菌、节细菌、假丝酵母、曲霉和枝孢霉。     

Complementary genetic and genomic approaches help characterize the linkage group I seed protein QTL in soybean

Background

Cotton fibers (produced by Gossypium species) are the premier natural fibers for textile production. The two tetraploid species, G. barbadense (Gb) and G. hirsutum (Gh), differ significantly in their fiber properties, the former having much longer, finer and stronger fibers that are highly prized. A better understanding of the genetics and underlying biological causes of these differences will aid further improvement of cotton quality through breeding and biotechnology. We evaluated an inter-specific Gh × Gb recombinant inbred line (RIL) population for fiber characteristics in 11 independent experiments under field and glasshouse conditions. Sites were located on 4 continents and 5 countries and some locations were analyzed over multiple years.

Results

The RIL population displayed a large variability for all major fiber traits. QTL analyses were performed on a per-site basis by composite interval mapping. Among the 651 putative QTLs (LOD > 2), 167 had a LOD exceeding permutation based thresholds. Coincidence in QTL location across data sets was assessed for the fiber trait categories strength, elongation, length, length uniformity, fineness/maturity, and color. A meta-analysis of more than a thousand putative QTLs was conducted with MetaQTL software to integrate QTL data from the RIL and 3 backcross populations (from the same parents) and to compare them with the literature. Although the global level of congruence across experiments and populations was generally moderate, the QTL clustering was possible for 30 trait x chromosome combinations (5 traits in 19 different chromosomes) where an effective co-localization of unidirectional (similar sign of additivity) QTLs from at least 5 different data sets was observed. Most consistent meta-clusters were identified for fiber color on chromosomes c6, c8 and c25, fineness on c15, and fiber length on c3.

Conclusions

Meta-analysis provided a reliable means of integrating phenotypic and genetic mapping data across multiple populations and environments for complex fiber traits. The consistent chromosomal regions contributing to fiber quality traits constitute good candidates for the further dissection of the genetic and genomic factors underlying important fiber characteristics, and for marker-assisted selection.     

不同植物群落下酸化尾矿养分状况及土壤酶活性

调查不同植被群落下铜尾矿的养分状况及土壤酶活性的变化动态,通过常规方法测定了尾矿的pH和电导率,以及有机质,总氮,有效磷,速效钾的含量。用底物反应法测定了过氧化氢酶,芳基硫酯酶,脲酶,酸性磷酸化酶和脱氢酶的活性。结果表明,与酸化的裸露尾矿相比,定居其上的芦苇(Phragmites australis)、狗牙根(Cynodon dactylon)和双穗雀稗(Paspalum distichum)均能显著增加尾矿基质pH值(从3.6上升到5.4),降低电导率,减缓尾矿酸化过程。芦苇和狗牙根能够显著提高尾矿基质中N、K和有机质含量(P<0.05),增加尾矿中的养分。3种植物群落下有效磷较裸露尾矿没有显著增加。植物的定居显著提高了尾矿中过氧化氢酶、芳基硫脂酶和脲酶的活性(P<0.05);但酸性磷酸化酶和脱氢酶活性没有显著提高。研究表明,植物对尾矿有明显的改良作用,而且芦苇和狗牙根优于双穗雀稗。在各种植被条件的尾矿中除酸性磷酸化酶以外的其它实验土壤酶活性均与尾矿中有机质和总氮呈极显著正相关(P<0.01)。     

辽宁和江苏两省杂草稻植物性状多样性

辽宁和江苏两省是我国杂草稻(Oryza sativa f. spontanea)发生最为严重的地区之一, 为明确两省杂草稻识别特征和类型, 我们在两省14个市29个样点采集样品, 与当地栽培水稻品种一并在南京种植, 观测了营养生长期和生殖生长期的23个植物性状。结果表明, 两省杂草稻在营养生长期的1月株高、1月和2月分蘖数, 在生殖生长期的果皮色、谷粒长/宽比、百粒重、落粒性、秆硬度、剑叶宽、剑叶长、有效穗数、50%黄熟、50%黄熟–50%抽穗和全黄熟等性状与相应的当地栽培稻存在差异;主成分1和主成分2组成的二维散点图(累计贡献率达43.24%)也显示出两省杂草稻间以及与栽培稻间的差异性。采用欧氏距离对两省杂草稻进行系统聚类可以将杂草稻分为籼型和粳型。其中辽宁省杂草稻全部聚在粳型类群中, 它们又可细分为两类; 江苏省杂草稻既有粳型, 又有籼型, 其中粳型与辽宁省杂草稻聚在粳型类群中, 籼型又可分为3类。这6个类群分别具有如下突出特点: 第1类为强落粒、粒轻、秆矮、早熟、偏粳等; 第2类为无芒、穗多、强休眠、剑叶窄、偏粳等; 第3类为长芒、弱分蘖、穗少、弱落粒、偏粳等; 第4类为硬秆、剑叶宽、迟熟、强休眠、偏籼等; 第5类为红果皮、粒长、软秆、粒重、偏籼等; 第6类为无芒、株高、穗长、剑叶长、偏籼等。上述杂草稻的形态学指标和类型的研究将为两省开展杂草稻危害防治工作提供理论依据。