Root decomposition of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Artemisia halodendron</Emphasis> and its effect on soil nitrogen and soil organic carbon in the Horqin Sandy Land,northeastern China

Root decomposition is a critical feedback from the plant to the soil, especially in sandy land where strong winds remove aboveground litter. As a pioneer shrub in semi-mobile dunes of the Horqin sandy land, Artemisia halodendron has multiple effects on nutrient capture and the microenvironment. However, its root decomposition has not been studied in terms of its influence on soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N). In this study, we buried fine (≤2 mm) and coarse roots in litterbags at a depth of 15 cm below semi-mobile dunes. We measured the masses remaining and the C and N contents at intervals during 434 days of decomposition. The soils below the litterbags were then divided into layers and sampled to measure the SOC and N contents. After rapid initial decomposition, both coarse and fine roots decomposed slowly. After 53 days, 36.2 % of coarse roots and 39.8 % of fine roots had decomposed. In contrast, only 18.4 % of coarse roots and 30.5 % of fine roots decomposed in the following 381 days. Fine roots decomposed significantly faster, and their decomposition rate after the initial rapid decay was strongly related to climate (R ² = 0.716, P < 0.05). Root decomposition increased SOC and N contents below the litterbags, with larger effects for fine roots. The SOC content was more variable between soil layers than the N content. Thus, decomposition of A. halodendron roots cannot be ignored when studying SOC and N feedbacks from plants to the soil, particularly for fine roots.     

Genetic mapping of folate QTLs using a segregated population in maize

As essential B vitamin for humans, folates accumulation in edible parts of crops, such as maize kernels, is of great importance for human health. But its breeding is always limited by the prohibitive cost of folate profiling. The molecular breeding is a more executable and efficient way for folate fortification, but is limited by the molecular knowledge of folate regulation. Here we report the genetic mapping of folate quantitative trait loci (QTLs) using a segregated population crossed by two maize lines, one high in folate (GEMS31) and the other low in folate (DAN3130). Two folate QTLs on chromosome 5 were obtained by the combination of F₂ whole-exome sequencing and F₃ kernel-folate profiling. These two QTLs had been confirmed by bulk segregant analysis using F₆ pooled DNA and F₇ kernel-folate profiling, and were overlapped with QTLs identified by another segregated population. These two QTLs contributed 41.6% of phenotypic variation of 5-formyltetrahydrofolate, the most abundant storage form among folate derivatives in dry maize grains, in the GEMS31×DAN3130 population. Their fine mapping and functional analysis will reveal details of folate metabolism, and provide a basis for marker-assisted breeding aimed at the enrichment of folates in maize kernels.     

木霉菌T23胶毒素合成基因的生物信息学分析与克隆

胶毒素是生防木霉菌重要的次生代谢产物之一。本研究以生防木霉菌T23为供试材料,旨在通过生物信息学技术及表达分析,挖掘木霉菌T23中胶毒素合成候选基因,探索木霉菌胶毒素合成的分子调控机制,可为新型生物农药的开发及应用提供理论依据。研究表明,木霉菌T23中胶毒素合成候选基因簇全长28 kb,簇内包含了8个基因,分别与烟曲霉胶毒素合成基因簇内的gliP、gliC、gliN、gliK、gliI、gliG、gliF、gliM高度同源。提取培养2 d、3 d、4 d、5 d的木霉菌T23菌丝的RNA,通过半定量RT-PCR技术探索各候选基因在木霉菌T23不同生长时期的表达情况,显示各基因在不同生长时期均有表达,属于组成型表达基因。成功克隆得到木霉菌T23中的gliP-T23基因并完成基因结构分析,该基因全长6 339 bp,由4个外显子和3个内含子组成,为后续的基因功能验证提供基础。     

Regulation of mitochondrial NAD pool via NAD+ transporter 2 is essential for matrix NADH homeostasis and ROS production in Arabidopsis

Reactive oxygen species(ROS) play a crucial role in numerous biological processes in plants, including development, responses to environmental stimuli, and programmed cell death(PCD). Deficiency in MOSAIC DEATH 1(MOD1), a plastid-localized enoyl-ACP reductase essential for de novo fatty acid biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana, leads to the increased malate export from chloroplasts to mitochondria, and the subsequent accumulation of mitochondria-generated ROS and PCD. In this study, we report the identification and characterization of a mod1 suppressor, som592. SOM592 encodes mitochondrion-localized NAD~+ transporter 2(NDT2). We show that the mitochondrial NAD pool is elevated in the mod1 mutant. The som592 mutation fully suppressed mitochondrial NADH hyper-accumulation, ROS production, and PCD in the mod1 mutant, indicating a causal relationship between mitochondrial NAD accumulation and ROS/PCD phenotypes. We also show that in wild-type plants, the mitochondrial NAD+uptake is involved in the regulation of ROS production in response to continuous photoperiod. Elevation of the alternative respiration pathway can suppress ROS accumulation and PCD in mod1, but leads to growth restriction. These findings uncover a regulatory mechanism for mitochondrial ROS production via NADH homeostasis in Arabidopsis thaliana that is likely important for growth regulation in response to altered photoperiod.     

rSJYB1 inhibits collagen type I protein expression in hepatic stellate cells via down‐regulating activity of collagen α1 (I) promoter

YB1 is a negative regulator in liver fibrosis. We wondered whether SJYB1, a homologous protein of YB1 from Schistosoma japonicum, has an effect on liver fibrosis in vitro. Recombinant SJYB1 (rSJYB1) protein was expressed in a bacterial system and purified by Ni‐NTA His·Bind Resin. A human hepatic stellate cell line, the LX‐2 cell line, was cultured and treated with rSJYB1. The role of rSJYB1 on LX‐2 cells was then analysed by Western blot and luciferase assay. We succeeded in expressing and purifying SJYB1 in a bacterial system and the purified rSJYB1 could be recognized by S japonicum‐infected rabbit sera. Western bolt analysis showed that rSJYB1 inhibited the expression of collagen type I, but had little effect on α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA). Further analysis revealed that rSJYB1 inhibited the activity of collagen α1 (I) (COL1A1) promoter and functioned at ?1592/?1176 region of COL1A1 promoter. Our data demonstrate that rSJYB1‐mediated anti‐fibrotic activity involves inhibiting the activity of COL1A1 promoter and subsequently suppressing the expression of collagen type I in hepatic stellate cells.     

Vascular progenitor cell senescence in patients with Marfan syndrome

Vascular progenitor cells (VPCs) present in the adventitia of the vessel wall play a critical role in the regulation of vascular repair following injury. This study aimed to assess the function of VPCs isolated from patients with Marfan syndrome (MFS). VPCs were isolated from control and MFS donors and characterized. Compared with control‐VPCs, MFS‐VPCs exhibited cellular senescence as demonstrated by increased cell size, higher SA‐β‐gal activity and elevated levels of p53 and p21. RNA sequencing showed that several cellular process‐related pathways including cell cycle and cellular senescence were significantly enriched in MFP‐VPCs. Notably, the expression level of TGF‐β1 was much higher in MFS‐VPCs than control‐VPCs. Treatment of control‐VPCs with TGF‐β1 significantly enhanced mitochondrial reactive oxidative species (ROS) and induced cellular senescence whereas inhibition of ROS reversed these effects. MFS‐VPCs displayed increased mitochondrial fusion and decreased mitochondrial fission. Treatment of control‐VPCs with TGF‐β1 increased mitochondrial fusion and reduced mitochondrial fission. Nonetheless, treatment of mitofusin2 (Mfn2)‐siRNA inhibited TGF‐β1‐induced mitochondrial fusion and cellular senescence. Furthermore, TGF‐β1‐induced mitochondrial fusion was mediated by the AMPK signalling pathway. Our study shows that TGF‐β1 induces VPC senescence in patients with MFS by mediating mitochondrial dynamics via the AMPK signalling pathway.     

Picroside II attenuates hyperhomocysteinemia‐induced endothelial injury by reducing inflammation,oxidative stress and cell apoptosis

Picroside II (P‐II), one of the main active components of scrophularia extract, which have anti‐oxidative, anti‐inflammatory effects, but its effect on hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) induced endothelial injury remains to be determined. Here, we test whether P‐II protects HHcy‐induced endothelial dysfunction against oxidative stress, inflammation and cell apoptosis. In vitro study using HUVECs, and in hyperhomocysteinemia mouse models, we found that HHcy decreased endothelial SIRT1 expression and increased LOX‐1 expression, subsequently causing reactive oxygen species generation, up‐regulation of NADPH oxidase activity and NF‐κB activation, thereby promoting pro‐inflammatory response and cell apoptosis. Blockade of Sirt1 with Ex527 or siRNASIRT1 increased LOX‐1 expression, whereas overexpression of SIRT1 decreased LOX‐1 expression markedly. P‐II treatment significantly increased SIRT1 expression and reduced LOX‐1 expression, and protected against endothelial cells from Hcy‐induced oxidative injury, inflammation and apoptosis. However, blockade of SIRT1 or overexpression of LOX‐1 attenuated the therapeutic effects of P‐II. In conclusion, our results suggest that P‐II prevents the Hcy induced endothelial damage probably through regulating the SIRT1/LOX‐1 signaling pathway.     

Circulating serum vitamin D levels and total body bone mineral density: A Mendelian randomization study

Until recently, randomized controlled trials have not demonstrated convincing evidence that vitamin D, or vitamin D in combination with calcium supplementation could improve bone mineral density (BMD), osteoporosis and fracture. It remains unclear whether vitamin D levels are causally associated with total body BMD. Here, we performed a Mendelian randomization study to investigate the association of vitamin D levels with total body BMD using a large‐scale vitamin D genome‐wide association study (GWAS) dataset (including 79 366 individuals) and a large‐scale total body BMD GWAS dataset (including 66,628 individuals). We selected three Mendelian randomization methods including inverse‐variance weighted meta‐analysis (IVW), weighted median regression and MR‐Egger regression. All these three methods did not show statistically significant association of genetically increased vitamin D levels with total body BMD. Importantly, our findings are consistent with recent randomized clinical trials and Mendelian randomization study. In summary, we provide genetic evidence that increased vitamin D levels could not improve BMD in the general population. Hence, vitamin D supplementation alone may not be associated with reduced fracture incidence among community‐dwelling adults without known vitamin D deficiency, osteoporosis, or prior fracture.     

EGFR突变与EML4-ALK融合共存的非小细胞肺癌的临床病理特征及治疗分析

目的:探讨表皮生长因子受体(EGFR)基因突变与棘皮动物微管相关样蛋白4与间变性淋巴瘤激酶(EML4-ALK)融合基因共存(以下简称双基因异常)的非小细胞肺癌的临床病理特征及治疗策略。方法:回顾性收集并分析2012年1月至2016年12月我院收治的EGFR突变与EML4-ALK融合基因共存的非小细胞肺癌患者的临床资料及病理特点。结果:11例双突变非小细胞肺癌占医院同期入院非小细胞肺癌患者的0.68%(11/1620);男性6例,女性5例;年龄23-70岁,平均年龄51.6岁;11例患者均不吸烟;腺癌9例,肉瘤样癌2例;临床分期,ⅠA期3例,ⅡB期1例,ⅢA期1例,ⅢB期1例,ⅠV期5例;6例行手术治疗,4例使用传统化疗,最好疗效为稳定(SD),最长无进展生存期(PFS)为6月;5例患者使用表皮生长因子酪氨酸激酶抑制剂(EGFR-TKⅠ)治疗,使用EGFR-TKⅠ最好疗效为部分缓解(PR),PFS为3-23月,中位PFS为9月;截止2017年12月,死亡4例,11例患者的生存时间为1-67月,中位存活时间为21月。结论:EGFR基因突变与EML4-ALK融合基因共存型非小细胞肺癌临床少见,多见于不吸烟或少吸烟的肺腺癌患者,双基因异常的非小细胞肺癌的靶向药物的治疗缺乏统一性,有待进一步研究,基于EGFR及EML4-ALK的磷酸化水平或肿瘤突变负荷选择靶向药物的个体化精准治疗是非常重要的。