Ptk2b deletion improves mice folliculogenesis and fecundity via inhibiting follicle loss mediated by Erk pathway

Ptk2b has been found playing critical roles in oocyte maturation and subsequent fertilization in vitro. But what is the exact in vivo function in reproduction still elusive. Here, by constructing Ptk2b mutant mice, we found Ptk2b was not essential for mice fertility, unexpectedly, contrary to previously reported in vitro findings, we found Ptk2b ablation significantly improved female fecundity. Follicle counting indicated that the number of primordial follicles and growing follicles in matured mice was significantly increased in the absence of Ptk2b, whereas the primordial follicle formation showed no defects. We also found this regulation was in an autophosphorylation independent pathway, as autophosphorylation site mutant mice (PTK2B^Y402F) show no phenotype in female fertility. Further biochemistry studies revealed that Ptk2b ablation promotes folliculogenesis via Erk pathway mediate follicle survival. Together, we found a novel biological function of Ptk2b in folliculogenesis, which could be potentially used as a therapeutic target for corresponding infertility.     

龙眼组蛋白去乙酰化酶基因DlHDT1的克隆与特性分析

组蛋白去乙酰化是植物表观遗传调控的重要组成部分,对染色体结构修饰和基因表达调控发挥着重要的作用。为深入探究组蛋白去乙酰化酶基因(histone deacetylase 1,HDT1)在龙眼体胚发生过程中的功能,该研究结合龙眼基因组数据,采用RT-PCR方法克隆得到龙眼组蛋白去乙酰化酶基因(DlHDT1),对其进行生物信息学分析及亚细胞定位观察,同时结合转录组数据分析DlHDT1在体胚发生过程中的FPKM值,并利用qRT-PCR技术检测PEG6000和NaCl处理下DlHDT1的表达模式。结果表明:(1)DlHDT1基因CDS序列全长918 bp,编码305个氨基酸,该蛋白为不稳定亲水性蛋白,不含信号肽和跨膜结构,共含43个磷酸化位点,相对分子量为32 585.54 Da,等电点为4.65;进化树分析显示龙眼DlHDT1与漾濞槭亲缘关系最近(78.76%)。(2)亚细胞定位显示,DlHDT1蛋白定位于细胞核中;顺式作用元件分析发现DlHDT1基因含有大量光响应元件和脱落酸、茉莉酸甲酯等激素及逆境胁迫响应元件;转录组数据显示,DlHDT1在龙眼体胚发生不同时期均有表达,在胚性愈伤组织(EC)阶段表达最低,在球形胚(GE)阶段表达最高。(3)qRT-PCR显示,在PEG6000和NaCl处理下DlHDT1基因,呈下调表达趋势,推测DlHDT1可能参与调控龙眼对干旱及盐胁迫的响应,并存在负调控关系。研究认为,DlHDT1为核定位基因,可能参与龙眼体胚形态建成并在龙眼响应非生物逆境胁迫过程中发挥重要作用。     

呼吸道合胞病毒IgM抗体AlphaLISA快速检测方法的建立

呼吸道合胞病毒(Respiratory syncytial virus,RSV)属于副粘液病毒科,是一种下呼吸道感染最主要的RNA病毒.呼吸道合胞病毒感染是引起全球婴幼儿高致死率的呼吸道感染病原,仅次于疟疾,但用于检测RSV感染的选择相对较少.本文通过抗原抗体结合原理,建立呼吸道合胞病毒(RSV)IgM抗体AlphaLISA快速检测方法.小鼠抗人IgM单克隆抗体偶联的受体微球与临床血清样品中RSV特异性IgM抗体结合,RSV特异性IgM抗体再与生物素标记的RSV抗原结合,生物素连接偶联链霉亲和素的供体微球;受体微球和供体微球的距离被拉近小于200nm,680nm荧光激发供体微球生成单线态氧,扩散给受体微球,发射波长为520～620nm的荧光,荧光强度与血清中RSV特异性IgM抗体呈正比.结果显示,该方法批内变异系数与批间变异系数均小于10％,不与其他呼吸道病原体发生交叉反应,与间接免疫荧光法具有较好的一致性,总符合率达83.33％.该方法具有微量检测、快速省时、操作简便等优势,可快速检测RSV的IgM抗体,为早期确诊RSV感染提供高效可行方案.     

A Self-Biomineralized Novel Adenovirus Vectored COVID-19 Vaccine for Boosting Immunization of Mice

Virologica Sinica - SARS-CoV-2 has caused more than 3.8 million deaths worldwide, and several types of COVID-19 vaccines are urgently approved for use, including adenovirus vectored vaccines....     

Breast milk contains probiotics with anti-infantile diarrhoea effects that may protect infants as they change to solid foods

Infants often experience complementary food-induced diarrhoea (CFID), which occurs when infants switch from breast milk to solid foods. The relative abundances of Prevotella and Rothia were higher in stools of infants with CFID, while the relative abundances of Enterococcus and Escherichia were higher in healthy infants. The abundance of Lactobacillus spp. normally found in breast milk fed to infants with CFID was significantly reduced, and Enterococcus spp. were less abundant when diarrhoea occurred. Furthermore, Lactobacillus and Enterococcus were present as shared bacteria in both mother and infant, and they were considered potential anti-CFID probiotics as their relative abundances in breast milk were negatively correlated to infant CFID. Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) functional analysis showed that the function of amino acid metabolism differed between infants with CFID and healthy infants. Therefore, CFID might be related to the decomposition of proteins in food supplements. The screening revealed seven hydrolytic casein and five hydrolytic casein and rice protein isolates from 320 suspected Lactobacillus and Enterococcus isolates. The animal experiments demonstrated that a mixture of five isolates effectively hydrolysed the casein and rice protein and prevented diarrhoea in young rats. Thus, the occurrence of CFID was found to be closely related to the intestinal and breast milk microbiota, and bacteria that could assist in the digestion of cereal proteins were involved in CFID.     

格氏栲天然林林窗植物物种多样性与系统发育多样性

林窗环境异质性导致群落物种多样性与系统发育多样性(phylogenetic diversity, PD)存在差异, 研究不同大小的林窗中群落的物种多样性与系统发育多样性有助于揭示林下生物多样性的形成及维持机制。本文以格氏栲(Castanopsis kawakamii)天然林为研究对象, 通过Pearson相关性分析与广义线性模型探讨了林窗内物种多样性与系统发育多样性间的相互关系及其环境影响因素。结果表明: (1)大林窗(面积 > 200 m²)植物种类及多度均高于中林窗(50 m² ≤ 面积 < 100 m²)、小林窗(30 m² ≤ 面积 < 50 m²)和非林窗(面积 = 100 m²)。大林窗群落系统发育结构趋于发散, 中、小林窗和非林窗群落系统发育结构受到生境过滤和竞争排斥综合作用。(2)群落系统发育多样性指数与物种丰富度(species richness, SR)、Margalef丰富度指数和Shannon-Wiener指数均呈显著正相关, 这与林窗内稀有种种类组成多于优势种有关。(3)林窗面积对物种多样性存在显著正效应; 土壤全氮含量对系统发育多样性和系统发育结构存在显著正效应。林窗形成提高了格氏栲天然林群落物种多样性和系统发育多样性, 林窗面积与土壤全氮共同驱动了格氏栲天然林林窗物种多样性和系统发育多样性的变化。     

Epidemiological and clinical features in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 outside of Wuhan,China: Special focus in asymptomatic patients

ObjectivesIn December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan City and rapidly spread across the world. The clinical characteristics of affected patients in different regions and populations may differ. Thus, this study aimed to identify the characteristics of the disease to provide an insight about the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.MethodsData on the demographic characteristics and clinical findings of the patients admitted at the First Hospital of Changsha from January 1, 2020 to February 10, 2020 were assessed.ResultsIn this study, there were 8 (3.8%) asymptomatic, 21 (10.0%) mild upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), and 180 (86.1%) pneumonia cases. In total, 47 (22.5%) patients resided in Wuhan, and 45 (21.5%) had recently traveled to Wuhan before disease onset. Moreover, 19 (9.1%) had contact with people from Wuhan, and 69 (33.0%) were family cluster cases. The median incubation period was approximately 6.3 (range: 1.0–20.0) days. Fever and cough were the most common initial symptoms: 99 (49.3%) patients presented with fever, without cough; 59 (29.4%) with cough, without fever; and 33 (16.4%) with both fever and cough.ConclusionThe symptoms of patients with COVID-19 were relatively mild outside Wuhan, and family cluster was a remarkable epidemic characteristic. Special attention should be paid to asymptomatic patients.     

禾谷镰刀菌蛋白激酶研究进展

由禾谷镰刀菌引起的小麦赤霉病是小麦生产最重要的真菌病害之一,除了造成严重的产量损失外,其病原菌还会产生多种真菌毒素危害人畜健康。蛋白激酶在禾谷镰刀菌生长发育、植物侵染和胁迫应答等方面具有重要作用。综述了禾谷镰刀菌主要蛋白激酶在生物学功能和分子作用机制等方面的研究进展,并对未来禾谷镰刀菌蛋白激酶的研究趋势进行了展望,以期为今后禾谷镰刀菌蛋白激酶的研究与小麦赤霉病的防治提供理论参考。