Mitochondrial dysfunction leads to reduced chronological lifespan and increased apoptosis in yeast

We previously isolated a Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant (HsTnII), which displays 40% reduced chronological lifespan as compared to the wild type (WT). In this study, we found HsTnII cultures to be characterized by fragmented and dysfunctional mitochondria, and by increased initiation of apoptosis during chronological aging as compared to WT. Expression of genes encoding subunits of mitochondrial electron transport chain and ATP synthase is significantly downregulated in HsTnII, and as a consequence, HsTnII is not able to respire ethanol. All these data confirm the importance of functional mitochondria and respiration in determining yeast chronological lifespan and apoptosis.     

马里苷、黄诺玛苷对db/db小鼠肠道菌群的影响及相关性

目的探索两色金鸡菊中黄酮类成分马里苷、黄诺玛苷对db/db小鼠肠道菌群的影响。方法将db/m小鼠作为正常对照组,db/db小鼠分为db/db模型组、db/db+恩格列净(db/db+Empagliflozin)组、db/db+马里苷(db/db+Marein)组、db/db+黄诺玛苷(db/db+Flavanomarein)组,每组8只。采用实时荧光定量PCR(RT-qPCR)的方法检测小鼠粪样中Bacteroides ovatus、Ruminococcus gnavus的变化,并运用Pearson检验分析Bacteroides ovatus、Ruminococcus gnavus的变化与2型糖尿病相关表型的相关性。结果 (1)干预12周后与db/m组相比,db/db组小鼠粪样中Bacteroides ovatus水平显著降低(P0.010);恩格列净(P0.001)、马里苷(P0.050)、黄诺玛苷(P0.001)干预后能显著升高其含量,差异具有统计学意义。(2)与db/m组相比,db/db组小鼠粪样中Ruminococcus gnavus水平显著升高(P0.050);恩格列净(P0.050)、马里苷(P0.050)干预后能显著降低其含量,差异具有统计学意义。(3)Bacteroides ovatus水平与空腹血糖(FBG)、三酰甘油(TG)呈负相关(r=-0.420,P=0.021;r=-0.474,P=0.008);Ruminococcus gnavus水平与FBG、TG呈正相关(r=0.397,P=0.030;r=0.404,P=0.027)。结论马里苷、黄诺玛苷可以调节小鼠肠道菌群的变化,这可能是其抗糖尿病的重要机制。     

土壤水分条件对克隆植物互花米草表型可塑性的影响

在互花米草草滩挖掘沙蚕是海岸带常见的行为,会造成土壤结构松散,蓄水能力下降,局部土壤水分含量低.能否利用这些条件,降低互花米草种群的入侵性,并进而对互花米草的控制提供对策是一个重要的生态学命题.为此,实验模拟3种不同土壤蓄水条件,并测定互花米草在该条件下的形态与存活指标、克隆特征参数及生物量积累与分配格局.结果表明:土壤水分条件对互花米草的叶长和根状茎生物量均没有显著影响(p> 0.05);而其株高、分枝强度、克隆存活数、克隆存活率及地上生物量在各土壤水分条件间差异显著(p< 0.05);在低水分条件下,互花米草的芽数、基茎粗、地上生物量比和叶生物量比均显著低于其他两组处理(p< 0.05),地下生物量比则显著高于其他两组处理(p< 0.05);在中等水分条件下,互花米草的根状茎长、根状茎节数、地下生物量和茎生物量比与其他两组处理差异不显著(p> 0.05),而在其他两组处理间差异显著(p< 0.05);在高水分条件下,总生物量、茎生物量和根生物量显著高于其他两组处理(p< 0.05),根状茎生物量比则显著低于其他两组处理(p< 0.05),而这些指标在其他两组处理间均差异不显著(p> 0.05).由此推断,土壤水分条件适中有利于互花米草的生长扩张以占领有利的资源环境,而土壤水分条件低则抑制互花米草的生长繁殖,影响其种群延续.     

Distinct basolateral amygdala excitatory inputs mediate the somatosensory and aversive-affective components of pain

Pain is a multidimensional perception that includes unpleasant somatosensory and affective experiences; however, the underlying neural circuits that mediate different components of pain remain elusive. Although hyperactivity of basolateral amygdala glutamatergic (BLA^Glu) neurons is required for the somatosensory and emotional processing of pain, the precise excitatory inputs to BLA^Glu neurons and their roles in mediating different aspects of pain are unclear. Here, we identified two discrete glutamatergic neuronal circuits in male mice: a projection from the insular cortex glutamatergic (IC^Glu) to BLA^Glu neurons, which modulates both the somatosensory and affective components of pain, and a projection from the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus (MD^Glu) to BLA^Glu neurons, which modulates only the aversive-affective component of pain. Using whole-cell recording and fiber photometry, we found that neurons within the IC→BLA and MD→BLA pathways were activated in mice upon inflammatory pain induced by injection of complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) into their paws. Optical inhibition of the IC^Glu→BLA pathway increased the nociceptive threshold and induced behavioral place preference in CFA mice. In contrast, optical inhibition of the MD^Glu→BLA pathway did not affect the nociceptive threshold but still induced place preference in CFA mice. In normal mice, optical activation of the IC^Glu→BLA pathway decreased the nociceptive threshold and induced place aversion, while optical activation of the MD^Glu→BLA pathway only evoked aversion. Taken together, our results demonstrate that discrete IC^Glu→BLA and MD^Glu→BLA pathways are involved in modulating different components of pain, provide insights into its circuit basis, and better our understanding of pain perception.     

Local Recurrence of Soft Tissue Sarcoma Revisited: Is there a Role for “Selective” Radiation?

BackgroundRadiation therapy (RT) is often utilized in cases of high-grade soft tissue sarcoma (STS), but there remain situations where treatment is with surgical excision alone. Our goals were to determine (1) the local recurrence (LR) rate with and without perioperative RT and (2) associations between local recurrence, patient, tumor, and treatment variables.MethodsWe performed a retrospective review of 165 consecutive STS patients. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to investigate variables associated with local recurrence.ResultsLR occurred in 15/78 (19%) without RT, 4/29 (14%) with postoperative RT, and 0/58 with preoperative RT (p=0.002). We found increased rates of local recurrence at 24 months for myxofibrosarcoma (p=0.001) and no-RT (p=0.003). Myxofibrosarcoma accounted for 33 (20%) of the study patients and 12 (63%) of the local recurrences.ConclusionThe LR rate in patients treated with surgery alone was disproportionately attributable to myxofibrosarcoma (11/23 cases, 48%). Other subtypes demonstrated a lower rate of LR in the absence of RT (4/55 cases, 7%), and no LR occurred when final margins were >2 mm. In certain circumstances treatment with a negative margin surgical resection followed by close observation is justifiable. RT is effective and should continue to be considered routinely in myxofibrosarcoma or when surgical margins are inadequate. Level of Evidence: III     

吉林省黄泥河林区东北马鹿野外放归成效评估

野外放归是维系濒危物种野生种群长期续存的重要途径,对放归成效的监测研究有利于濒危动物种群科学有效的管理。采用非损伤性标志重捕法评估了吉林省张广才岭南部黄泥河林区东北马鹿的种群数量与分布;利用粪便DNA信息,从亲权鉴定和遗传多样性方面对其放归成效进行了评估。结果显示:(1)黄泥河林区马鹿种群数量平均90(68-124)只,密度0.045(0.034-0.063)只/km²,主要分布于林区北部,呈现一定程度的地理隔离;(2)性别鉴定显示,野生种群的雌雄性比1.71 ∶ 1,放归后雌雄性比1.83 ∶ 1,放归提高了种群的可繁殖概率;(3)亲权鉴定检测到,放归个体(R3)与野生个体在野外成功繁殖,并产下子代;(4)野外放归向野生种群引入了平均2.9个"新"的等位基因,提高了其遗传多样性水平。在种群密度、可繁殖率、遗传多样性方面对马鹿放归的有效性进行了证实,但建议进一步在行为节律、家域和生境选择等方面开展研究,系统性评估马鹿种群的放归成效。     

异源多角体蛋白对家蚕核型多角体病毒粒子的包装

利用PCR方法从AcMNPV基因组DNA中分离出多角体蛋白基因 ,将该扩增片段克隆到转移载体pBacPAK8中 ,得到重组转移载体pOAc。将该质粒DNA与线性化的Bm BacPAK6病毒基因组DNA共传染BmN细胞 ,得到了能形成多角体且不产生蓝色空斑的重组病毒hp BmNPV。纯化该重组病毒的多角体颗粒 ,并对多角体蛋白、病毒核酸及多角体病毒颗粒进行分析 ,发现AcMNPV的多角体蛋白能在家蚕细胞中大量表达且能在细胞内识别家蚕核型多角体病毒并组装成多角体颗粒 ;病毒基因组DNA因部分交换 ,其酶切行为发生了相应的变化 ;电镜观察发现经AcMNPV多角体蛋白包装的家蚕核型多角体病毒的多角体颗粒大小为1 2 μm～ 2 9μm ,明显小于野生型家蚕核型多角体病毒的多角体颗粒     

Novel Staphylococcal Glycosyltransferases SdgA and SdgB Mediate Immunogenicity and Protection of Virulence-Associated Cell Wall Proteins

Infection of host tissues by Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis requires an unusual family of staphylococcal adhesive proteins that contain long stretches of serine-aspartate dipeptide-repeats (SDR). The prototype member of this family is clumping factor A (ClfA), a key virulence factor that mediates adhesion to host tissues by binding to extracellular matrix proteins such as fibrinogen. However, the biological siginificance of the SDR-domain and its implication for pathogenesis remain poorly understood. Here, we identified two novel bacterial glycosyltransferases, SdgA and SdgB, which modify all SDR-proteins in these two bacterial species. Genetic and biochemical data demonstrated that these two glycosyltransferases directly bind and covalently link N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) moieties to the SDR-domain in a step-wise manner, with SdgB appending the sugar residues proximal to the target Ser-Asp repeats, followed by additional modification by SdgA. GlcNAc-modification of SDR-proteins by SdgB creates an immunodominant epitope for highly opsonic human antibodies, which represent up to 1% of total human IgG. Deletion of these glycosyltransferases renders SDR-proteins vulnerable to proteolysis by human neutrophil-derived cathepsin G. Thus, SdgA and SdgB glycosylate staphylococcal SDR-proteins, which protects them against host proteolytic activity, and yet generates major eptopes for the human anti-staphylococcal antibody response, which may represent an ongoing competition between host and pathogen.