Potassium and phosphorus transport and signaling in plants

Nitrogen(N), potassium(K), and phosphorus(P) are essential macronutrients for plant growth and development, and their availability affects crop yield. Compared with N, the relatively low availability of K and P in soils limits crop production and thus threatens food security and agricultural sustainability. Improvement of plant nutrient utilization efficiency provides a potential route to overcome the effects of K and P deficiencies. Investigation of the molecular mechanisms underlying how plants sense, absorb, transport, and use K and P is an important prerequisite to improve crop nutrient utilization efficiency. In this review, we summarize current understanding of K and P transport and signaling in plants, mainly taking Arabidopsis thaliana and rice(Oryza sativa) as examples. We also discuss the mechanisms coordinating transport of N and K, as well as P and N.     

家蝇Phormicin A多克隆抗体的制备及效价检测

家蝇Phormicin作为防御素家族的成员,是一类具有广普抗菌活性的抗菌肽.本研究采用原核表达法表达并纯化获得了家蝇PhormicinA蛋白.将家蝇Phormicin A原核表达蛋白与完全佐剂和不完全佐剂乳化混匀,先后免疫新西兰白兔获得其多克隆抗体.通过原核表达蛋白中和吸附实验,以及Western blot实验验证了抗体的特异性.进一步用金黄色葡萄球菌刺激家蝇三龄幼虫样品,进行内源性验证并测定抗体的效价.结果 显示,该多克隆抗体既可以识别家蝇Phormicin A原核表达蛋白,也可以识别金黄色葡萄球菌刺激家蝇三龄幼虫产生的内源性Phormicin A蛋白.本研究为进一步探索Phormicin在家蝇天然免疫和防御中的机制等后续工作打下基础.     

牦牛miR-383的靶基因预测及生物信息学分析

MicroRNAs (miRNAs)是一类非编码的小分子单链RNA,通过与靶基因的mRNA结合,抑制mRNA的翻译,参与多种生物学过程.本实验室前期通过高通量测序发现90日龄牦牛胚胎的背最长肌中miR-383的表达量显著高于成年牦牛.为探究miR-383在牦牛骨骼肌发育中的分子功能和机制,本研究对miR-383的靶基因进行预测,并进行生物信息学分析.通过TargetScan、miRDB和miRanda 3个软件预测了miR-383的靶基因,然后合并miRTarbase数据库中已被证实的靶基因作为基因集,分别用DAVID和KOBAS3.0在线软件对基因集进行功能注释(GO分析)和Pathway信号通路富集分析.结果 表明,牦牛miR-383序列在各物种间高度保守,靶基因功能富集于CD8阳性T细胞增殖的调控、核糖核蛋白复合物定位和负调控T细胞分化等生物学过程.信号通路分析发现靶基因的信号通路显著富集于PI3K-Ak、AMPK、FoxO和Focal adhesion等与肌肉发育相关的信号通路中.该研究结果将为miR-383功能及调控机制的深入研究提供参考依据,也为解析牦牛肌肉发育的分子机制提供新的研究方向.     

A botanical medicine dragon’s blood exhibited clinical antithrombosis efficacy similar to low molecular weight heparin

Deep vein thrombosis(DVT) is a common complication following traumatic fracture with a 0.5%–1% annual incidence. Low molecular weight heparin(LMWH) is the most commonly used anticoagulation drug for DVT prevention, but treatment with LMWH is invasive. Our aim is to compare the antithrombotic effect of dragon's blood, an oral botanical anticoagulant medicine approved by the Chinese FDA, with LMWH in patients undergoing hip fracture surgery and to explore the molecular mechanisms of anticoagulation treatment. Our study recruited patients and divided them into LMWH and dragon's blood treatment group. Coagulation index tests, Doppler ultrasound and m RNA sequencing were performed before and after anticoagulation therapy. There was no significant difference in postoperative DVT incidence between the two groups(23.1% versus 15.4%,P=0.694). D-dimer(D-D) and fibrinogen degradation product(FDP) showed significant reductions in both groups after anticoagulation treatments. We identified SLC4 A1, PROS1, PRKAR2 B and seven other genes as being differentially expressed during anticoagulation therapy in both groups. Genes correlated with coagulation indexes were also identified. Dragon's blood and LMWH showed similar effects on DVT and produced similar gene expression changes in patients undergoing hip fracture surgery, indicating that dragon's blood is a more convenient antithrombosis medicine(oral) than LMWH(hypodermic injection).     

A whole-genome association approach for large-scale interspecies traits

Science China Life Sciences -     

Adaptive T cell immunotherapy in cancer

Impaired tumor-specific effector T cells contribute to tumor progression and unfavorable clinical outcomes. As a compensatory T cell-dependent cancer immunoediting strategy, adoptive T cell therapy(ACT) has achieved encouraging therapeutic results,and this strategy is now on the center stage of cancer treatment and research. ACT involves the ex vivo stimulation and expansion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes(TILs) with inherent tumor reactivity or T cells that have been genetically modified to express the cognate chimeric antigen receptor or T cell receptor(CAR/TCR), followed by the passive transfer of these cells into a lymphodepleted host. Primed T cells must provide highly efficient and long-lasting immune defense against transformed cells during ACT. Anin-depth understanding of the basic mechanisms of these living drugs can help us improve upon current strategies and design better next-generation T cell-based immunotherapies. From this perspective, we provide an overview of current developments in different ACT strategies, with a focus on frontier clinical trials that offer a proof of principle. Meanwhile, insights into the determinants of ACT are discussed, which will lead to more rational, potent and widespread applications in the future.     

Marginal lands for bioenergy in China; an outlook in status,potential and management

Energy consumption and CO₂ emissions have been increasing continuously over the past few decades in China and there is a pressing need to replace the fossil fuel‐based economy with an efficient low‐carbon system, tailor‐made to future requirements. China is starting an energy transition with the aim of building an energy system for the future. China has made tremendous progress in increasing the amount of renewable energy and reducing the cost of renewable energy over the last 20 years. According to the 14th 5 year plan, China aims to incorporate 20% of renewable energy to the primary energy mix and attain 27% reduction in CO₂ emissions. Bioenergy crops constitute a significant proportion of biomass‐based bioenergy and have recently been promoted by the Chinese Government to help overcome food and fuel conflict. Steps are being taken to promote bioenergy crops on marginal lands in China, and various regions across the country with soil marginality have been evaluated for bioenergy crop cultivation. The present paper reviews the status of bioenergy in China and the potential status of marginal lands from different regions of China. It also elaborates on some of the policies, subsidies and incentives allocated by the Chinese Government for the promotion of biomass‐based energy. Land management and plant improvement strategies were discussed, which are effective in making marginal lands suitable for bioenergy crop cultivation. Managing planting strategies, intercropping and crop rotation are effective management practices used in China for the utilization of marginal lands. A national investigation is desirable for creating an inventory of technical and economic potential of biomass feedstocks that could be planted on marginal lands. This would assist with highlighting the pros and cons of using marginal lands for bioenergy production and effective policy making.     

Using vaginal discharge score (VDS) grading system to evaluate the effect of clinical endometritis on reproductive performance of dairy cows in China

Clinical endometritis (CE) is a major cause in affecting the reproductive performance of dairy cows. The objectives of this study were to ascertain the prevalence of CE and to evaluate the effect of CE on reproductive performance in dairy cows using vaginal discharge score (VDS) grading system. 803 dairy cows were examined by vaginoscope with 4-point VDS at 26 ± 3 days in milk (DIM) and classified into six groups: non-endometritis with VDS 0 (control; CON), endometritis with VDS 1 (MEM), non-treated endometritis with VDS 2 (NTME), treated endometritis with VDS 2 (TME), non-treated endometritis with VDS 3 (NTPE), and treated endometritis with VDS 3 (TPE). Cows in TME and TPE groups were treated with 200 mL of 50% dextrose solution by intrauterine infusion. The prevalence of CE was 33% at 26 ± 3 DIM. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed cows in MEM, NTME and NTPE groups had a less likelihood of first artificial insemination (AI) pregnancy than those in CON group (P < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival curves for days open were statistically different (P = 0.004). In Cox regression model, cows in NTME and NTPE groups had a reduced pregnancy rate than those in CON group (P < 0.05). The hazard of pregnancy in NTME group was lower than that in TME group (P = 0.044). Similarly, it was lower for the hazard of pregnancy in NTPE group than in TPE group (P = 0.048). Cows in MEM, NTME, and NTPE groups required more services per pregnancy than those in CON group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, CE examined by the VDS grading system impaired reproductive performance, and mild endometritis with VDS 1 should be treated in the early postpartum period to ameliorate fertility in dairy herds.     

First record of organic-walled microfossils from the Tonian Shiwangzhuang Formation of the Tumen Group in western Shandong,North China

Organic-walled microfossils offer important information on the biospheric evolution in pre-Cryogenian and provide biostratigraphic implications for many Proterozoic fossiliferous sequences that are poorly age constrained for the lack of reliable radiometric date. Recently, macroscopic carbonaceous compression fossils have been reported for the first time from the Tonian Shiwangzhuang Formation of the Tumen Group in western Shandong, North China. However, organic-walled microfossils have never been discovered from this formation up till now. To improve our knowledge about Proterozoic biodiversity in North China, we conducted a micropaleontological survey on the argillaceous limestone samples of the Shiwangzhuang Formation, which also contain macroscopic carbonaceous compression fossils, from the Baishicun section in Anqiu, western Shandong, North China. Our investigation shows that the Shiwangzhuang microfossil assemblage is dominated by smooth-walled sphaeromorphic acritarchs and cyanobacterium-like filaments and relatively low abundance of other acritarchs, including 16 taxa, such as Polysphaeroides filliformis, Ostiana microcystis, Simia annulare, ?Jacutianema sp., Arctacellularia tetragonala, Pellicularia tenera, Polythrichoides lineatus, and Navifusa actinomorpha. The Shiwangzhuang organic-walled microfossil assemblage, although consisting of long-ranging and not age diagnostic taxa, is consistent with a Tonian age suggested by macroscopic carbonaceous compression fossils, including the Chuaria-Tawuia and Sinosabellidites-Protoarenicola-Pararenicola assemblages, revealed from the same fossiliferous horizon of the Shiwangzhuang Formation and by organic-walled microfossil assemblage, including the late Mesoproterozoic to Tonian index fossil Trachyhystrichosphaera aimika, from the underlying Tongjiazhuang Formation. However, it is also worth noting that a Cryogenian or Ediacaran age cannot be completely excluded based just on the Shiwangzhuang microfossils because of their limited biostratigraphic utility.