Identification of multiple odorant receptors essential for pyrethrum repellency in Drosophila melanogaster

Pyrethrum extract from dry flowers of Tanacetum cinerariifolium (formally Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium) has been used globally as a popular insect repellent against arthropod pests for thousands of years. However, the mechanistic basis of pyrethrum repellency remains unknown. In this study, we found that pyrethrum spatially repels and activates olfactory responses in Drosophila melanogaster, a genetically tractable model insect, and the closely-related D. suzukii which is a serious invasive fruit crop pest. The discovery of spatial pyrethrum repellency and olfactory response to pyrethrum in D. melanogaster facilitated our identification of four odorant receptors, Or7a, Or42b, Or59b and Or98a that are responsive to pyrethrum. Further analysis showed that the first three Ors are activated by pyrethrins, the major insecticidal components in pyrethrum, whereas Or98a is activated by (E)-β-farnesene (EBF), a sesquiterpene and a minor component in pyrethrum. Importantly, knockout of Or7a, Or59b or Or98a individually abolished fly avoidance to pyrethrum, while knockout of Or42b had no effect, demonstrating that simultaneous activation of Or7a, Or59b and Or98a is required for pyrethrum repellency in D. melanogaster. Our study provides insights into the molecular basis of repellency of one of the most ancient and globally used insect repellents. Identification of pyrethrum-responsive Ors opens the door to develop new synthetic insect repellent mixtures that are highly effective and broad-spectrum.     

三峡水库香溪河库湾夏季藻类水华的时空动态及其影响因素

2008年6-8月,三峡水库香溪河库湾相继暴发蓝藻和绿藻水华.依据香溪河库湾夏季的每周监测,对研究区2次水华分别进行聚类和判别分析,研究了2次水华的时空动态及其影响因素.结果表明：研究区2次水华过程均可划分为无水华组、过渡组和水华组;2次水华的暴发对可溶性硅(DSi)、硝态氮与亚硝态氮(NO₃--N+NO₂^--N)和磷酸盐(PO₄^3--P)3种营养盐的吸收程度不同;蓝藻水华暴发期间的DSi、总氮/总磷(TN/TP)、DSi/TN和DSi/TP值均低于绿藻水华;判别蓝藻水华暴发的参数为叶绿素a(Chl a)、TN和PO₄^3--P,而Chl a和DSi则是绿藻水华暴发的判别因子,将2次水华过程划分为水华组和无水华组的判别效果更好;判断蓝藻和绿藻水华暴发的叶绿素a临界浓度分别为40和20 μg·L^-1.     

Delineating spatiotemporal and hierarchical development of human fetal innate lymphoid cells

Whereas the critical roles of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) in adult are increasingly appreciated, their developmental hierarchy in early human fetus remains largely elusive. In this study, we sorted human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, lymphoid progenitors, putative ILC progenitor/precursors and mature ILCs in the fetal hematopoietic, lymphoid and non-lymphoid tissues, from 8 to 12 post-conception weeks, for single-cell RNA-sequencing, followed by computational analysis and functional validation at bulk and single-cell levels. We delineated the early phase of ILC lineage commitment from hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, which mainly occurred in fetal liver and intestine. We further unveiled interleukin-3 receptor as a surface marker for the lymphoid progenitors in fetal liver with T, B, ILC and myeloid potentials, while IL-3RA^– lymphoid progenitors were predominantly B-lineage committed. Notably, we determined the heterogeneity and tissue distribution of each ILC subpopulation, revealing the proliferating characteristics shared by the precursors of each ILC subtype. Additionally, a novel unconventional ILC2 subpopulation (CRTH2^– CCR9⁺ ILC2) was identified in fetal thymus. Taken together, our study illuminates the precise cellular and molecular features underlying the stepwise formation of human fetal ILC hierarchy with remarkable spatiotemporal heterogeneity.Subject terms: Innate immunity, Haematopoietic stem cells     

Deletion of Smad3 protects against C-reactive protein-induced renal fibrosis and inflammation in obstructive nephropathy

Introduction and Aims: Elevated plasma levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) are closely associated with progressive renal injury in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Here, we tested a hypothesis that CRP may promote renal fibrosis and inflammation via a TGF-β/Smad3-dependent mechanism.Methods: Role and mechanisms of TGF-β/Smad3 in CRP-induced renal fibrosis and inflammation were examined in a mouse model of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) induced in CRP Tg/Smad3 KO mice and in a rat tubular epithelial cell line in which Smad3 gene is stably knocked down (S3KD-NRK52E).Results: We found that mice overexpressing the human CRP gene were largely promoted renal inflammation and fibrosis as evidenced by increasing IL-1β, TNF-α, MCP-1 expression, F4/80⁺ macrophages infiltration, and marked accumulation of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), collagen I and fibronectin in the UUO kidney, which were blunted when Smad3 gene was deleted in CRPtg-Smad3KO. Mechanistically, we found that the protection of renal inflammation and fibrosis in the UUO kidney of CRPtg-Smad3KO mice was associated with the inactivation of CD32-NF-κB and TGF-β/Smad3 signaling.Conclusion: In conclusion, Smad3 deficiency protects against CRP-mediated renal inflammation and fibrosis in the UUO kidney by inactivating CD32-NF-κB and TGF-β/Smad3 signaling.     

基于COⅡ基因序列的斑腿蝗科部分亚科的分子系统学研究

采用PCR产物直接测序法测定了斑腿蝗科10个亚科16属22种的COⅡ基因585 bp的片段, 对序列的碱基组成进行了分析,并评估了数据集的系统发育信号;最后,以癞蝗科的肃南 短鼻蝗作为外群,采用NJ法、MP法、ML法以及贝叶斯推论法构建了系统树,以解决这些物种所代表的亚科之间的系统发育关系。结果表明：22种斑腿蝗科昆虫的COⅡ基因序列碱基组成表现强烈的A+T含量偏向性。对COⅡ基因585 bp序列片段构成的全数据组和根据密码子不同位点划分的密码子第一、第二和第三位点数据组的系统发育信号分析显示,所有数据组都具有一定的系统发育信息。在4种方法得到的合一树中发现： （1）星翅蝗亚科、刺胸蝗亚科、黑背蝗亚科、斑腿蝗亚科的亲缘关系较近;（2）卵翅蝗亚科与稻蝗亚科亲缘关系较近,建议卵翅蝗亚科似乎应归入稻蝗亚科中,板胸蝗亚科与这两个亚科的关系较近;（3）黑蝗亚科和秃蝗亚科似乎应合并为一个亚科;（4）切翅蝗亚科的4个属未聚在一起,表明这些属的区别较大,不是一个单系群;（5）黑蝗亚科和秃蝗亚科关系较近,且与本研究中其他几个亚科的亲缘关系相对较远。研究结果表明COⅡ基因在解决斑腿蝗科的亚科以下属种间的系统发育关系时是一个有效的分子标记。     

A study on floral biology of seedlings in vitro in Orychophragmus violaceus: Induction of flowers in seedlings of O. violaceus cultured in vitro

Seedlings of O. violaceus were cultured on MS media and treated at low temperature. Cold treatment at 5–7 °C for more than 7 days was needed for flower induction of seedlings in vitro originated from germinated seeds. When cultured on MS media supplemented with 2.5 mg l⁻¹ zeatin and 2 mg l⁻¹ gibberellin (GA₃), seedlings in vitro did initiate flowers without cold treatment. When MS media was used with a reduced amount of NH₄NO₃, flower induction of seedlings in vitro could be accelerated. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

白腹锦鸡和红腹锦鸡的遗传分化

白腹锦鸡Chrysolophus amherstiae (Leadbeater)和红腹锦鸡Chrysolophus pictus (L.)是两个种还是两个亚种尚有争议。测定了白腹锦鸡C.amherstiae两个个体部分细胞色素b基因序列,得到完全相同的861bp的序列。与红腹锦鸡C.pictus的同源序列相比,在21个位点上出现变异,应用木村资生的双参数法算出两者的遗传距离为2.5％。根据鸡形目细胞色素b基因核苷酸替换的速率约为每百万年0.5％～ 0.7％,推断出两种锦鸡的分化时间至少为1.7百万年。从而在分子水平上支持白腹锦鸡(C.amherstiae)和红腹锦鸡(C.pictus)是两个独立种。 Abstract：It was disputed that Chrysolophus amherstiae (Leadbeater) and Chrysolophus pictus (L.) were two species or two subspecies.DNA sequences spanning 861 nucleotide bases of the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene were reported in two C.amherstiae.21 sites were different compared with C.pictus's homologous sequences. Genetic distance between C.amherstiae and was 2.5％ based on the Kimura's two parameter's methods.The divergence time between C.amherstiae and C.pictus was at least 1.7My based on the substitution rate of nucleotide acid of cytothrome-b gene in Galliformes.We suggested that Chrysolophus amherstiae and Chrysolophus pictus are two distinct species.     

文昌鱼神经系统、哈氏窝和性腺GnRH受体mRNA原位杂交的研究

用地高辛标记的寡核苷酸探针对ＧｎＲＨ受体在文昌鱼（Ｂｒａｎｃｈｉｏｓｔｏｍａ ｂｅｌｃｈｅｒｉ）神经系统、哈氏窝和性腺中的定位和表达进行原位杂交研究。结果显示,神经系统中神经细胞、尤其是在中脑右侧延伸出与哈氏窝相接触的漏斗样结构中的神经细胞、哈氏窝上皮细胞以及雌雄性腺中生殖细胞都有ＧｎＲＨ受体ｍＲＮＡ杂交信号,信号物质分布于胞质,胞核为阴性。表明文昌鱼神经系统、哈氏窝和性腺都能合成ＧｎＲＨ受体,从