Twist controls skeletal development and dorsoventral patterning by regulating runx2 in zebrafish

Background

Twist1a and twist1b are the principal components of twists that negatively regulate a number of cellular signaling events. Expression of runx2 and downstream targets is essential for skeletal development and ventral organizer formation and specification in early vertebrate embryos, but what controls ventral activity of maternal runx2 and how twists function in zebrafish embryogenesis still remain unclear.

Methodology/Principal Findings

By studying the loss of twist induced by injection of morpholino-oligonucleotide in zebrafish, we found that twist1a and twist1b, but not twist2 or twist3, were required for proper skeletal development and dorsoventral patterning in early embryos. Overexpression of twist1a or twist1b following mRNA injection resulted in deteriorated skeletal development and formation of typical dorsalized embryos, whereas knockdown of twist1a and twist1b led to the formation of abnormal embryos with enhanced skeletal formation and typical ventralized patterning. Overexpression of twist1a or twist1b decreased the expression of runx2b, whereas twist1a and twist1b knockdown increased runx2b expression. We have further demonstrated that phenotypes induced by twist1a and twist1b knockdown were rescued by runx2b knockdown.

Conclusions/Significance

Together, these results suggest that twist1a and twist1b control skeletal development and dorsoventral patterning by regulating runx2b in zebrafish and provide potential targets for the treatment of diseases or syndromes associated with decreased skeletal development.     

Saccharopolyspora dendranthemae sp. nov. a halotolerant endophytic actinomycete isolated from a coastal salt marsh plant in Jiangsu, China

A halotolerant actinomycete strain, designated strain KLBMP 1305^T, was isolated from a salt marsh plant Dendranthema indicum (Linn.) Des Moul collected from the coastal region of Nantong, Jiangsu Province, in east China and was studied in detail for its taxonomic position. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain KLBMP 1305^T is a member of the genus Saccharopolyspora. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity indicated that strain KLBMP 1305^T was most closely related to ‘Saccharopolyspora pathumthaniensis’ S582^T (99.31 %), ‘Saccharopolyspora endophytica’ YIM 61095^T (99.17 %) and Saccharopolyspora tripterygii YIM 65359^T (99.15 %); similarity to other type strains of the genus Saccharopolyspora was <97.2 %. The organism had chemical and morphological features consistent with its classification in the genus Saccharopolyspora such as meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid in the cell wall peptidoglycan and arabinose and galactose as the diagnostic sugars. The predominant menaquinone was MK-9(H₄). The polar lipids detected were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, an unknown glycolipid and an unknown lipid. The major fatty acids were iso-C_16:0, iso-C_15:0, anteiso-C_15:0, anteiso-C_17:0 and sum in feature 8 (18:1ω7c/18:1ω6c)_. The G+C content of the genomic DNA of the type strain was 68.7 mol%. DNA–DNA relatedness data, together with phenotypic differences, clearly distinguished the isolate from its closest relatives. On the basis of these phenotypic and genotypic data, the isolate represents a novel species, for which the name Saccharopolyspora dendranthemae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KLBMP 1305^T (=KCTC 19889^T = NBRC 108675^T).     

Intrathecal Epigallocatechin Gallate Treatment Improves Functional Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury by Upregulating the Expression of BDNF and GDNF

This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) administered by subarachnoid injection following spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats and to explore the underlying mechanism. Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups of 12 as follows: a sham group (laminectomy only); a control group; a 10 mg/kg EGCG-treated group; and a 20 mg/kg EGCG-treated group. SCI was induced in the rats using the modified weight-drop method (10 g × 4 cm) at the T10 (10th thoracic vertebral) level. EGCG (10 or 20 mg/kg) or vehicle as control was administered by subarachnoid injection at lumbar level 4 immediately after SCI. Locomotor functional recovery was assessed during the four weeks post-operation using open-field locomotor tests and inclined-plane tests. At the end of the study, the segments of spinal cord encompassing the injury site were removed for histopathological analysis. Immunohistochemical and Western blot analyses were performed to observe the expression of: the B cell CLL/lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). The results showed that the EGCG-treated animals had significantly better recovery of locomotor function, less myelin loss, greater Bcl-2 expression and attenuated Bax expression. In addition, the EGCG treatment significantly increased the expression of BDNF and GDNF after SCI. These findings suggest that EGCG treatment can significantly improve locomotor recovery, and this neuroprotective effect may be related to the up-regulation of BDNF and GDNF, and the inhibition of apoptosis-related proteins. Therefore, EGCG may be a promising therapeutic agent for SCI.     

Microarray analysis of the gene expression profile in the midgut of silkworm infected with cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus

In order to obtain an overall view on silkworm response to Bombyx mori cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (BmCPV) infection, a microarray system comprising 22,987 oligonucluotide 70-mer probes was employed to compare differentially expressed genes in the midguts of BmCPV-infected and normal silkworm larvae. At 72 h post-inoculation, 258 genes exhibited at least 2.0-fold differences in expression level. Out of these, 135 genes were up-regulated, while 123 genes were down-regulated. According to gene ontology (GO), 140 genes were classified into GO categories. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis indicates that 35 genes were involved in 10 significant (P < 0.05) KEGG pathways. The expressions of genes related to valine, leucine, and isoleucine degradation, retinol metabolism, and vitamin B6 metabolism were all down-regulated. The expressions of genes involved in ribosome and proteasome pathway were all up-regulated. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to validate the expression patterns of 13 selected genes of interest. The results suggest that BmCPV infection resulted in the disturbance of protein and amino acid metabolism and a series of major physiological and pathological changes in silkworm. Our results provide new insights into the molecular mechanism of BmCPV infection and host cell response.     

家蚕化学感受蛋白BmCSP4表达谱及结合特性分析

化学感受蛋白(chemosensory proteins, CSPs)是昆虫体内存在的一类主要识别和运载非挥发性的气味分子和化学刺激物的可溶性蛋白。本研究运用半定量RT-PCR方法分析了BmCSP4的时空及组织表达谱。结果表明： BmCSP4在家蚕Bombyx mori各发育阶段均表达, 但表达量从4龄到蛹期逐渐减少, 且在雌成虫头部、 胸部和腹部表达量较少。用1-NPN作为荧光探针, 测定了15种外源配基与BmCSP4蛋白的结合特性, 结果显示： 仅芳香醛类和芳香酮类化合物在浓度10 μmol/L能将1-NPN从BmCSP4中替换50%, 苯甲醛解离常数为3.20 μmol/L, 对甲氧基苯甲醛解离常数为2.24 μmol/L, 2-戊基-3-苯丙基-烯醛解离常数为2.88 μmol/L, 1-苯基-1-丁酮解离常数为2.04 μmol/L, 苯乙酮解离常数为2.52 μmol/L。据此推测, BmCSP4在不同的发育阶段执行不同的生理功能, 并可能参与对芳香醛、 芳香酮类气味识别过程。     

肾病综合征高脂血症发病机制研究进展

肾病综合征脂质代谢紊乱包括胆固醇(CH)和低密度脂蛋白(LDL)代谢异常、富含甘油三脂(TG)的脂蛋白代谢异常、高密度脂蛋白(HDL)代谢异常.根据目前的研究结果,CH和LDL代谢异常主要是由于羟甲基戊二酰辅酶A还原酶(HMG-CoA还原酶)和肝脂酰CoA胆固醇脂酰转移酶(ACAT)上调以及LDL受体和HDL受体下调所致;而富含TG的脂蛋白代谢异常主要与脂蛋白脂肪酶(LPL)、肝脂肪酶和极低密度脂蛋白(VLDL)受体的下调有关;HDL的代谢异常则主要是由于尿液中大量丢失卵磷脂胆固醇脂酰转移酶(LCAT)和HDL受体下调所致.上述代谢异常使肾病综合征患者心血管并发症的发生显著增加.     

二维过渡金属碳/氮化物在肿瘤治疗中的应用

二维过渡金属碳/氮化物（MXenes）具有优异的光热转换性能,丰富的表面基团,良好的生物相容性、亲水性和粒径可调性,这使得应用MXenes作为肿瘤诊疗过程中的治疗剂和造影剂具有巨大潜力。本文综述了基于MXenes的肿瘤单一治疗和联合治疗的相关研究,同时介绍了MXenes在肿瘤主动靶向治疗领域的研究,最后阐述了目前MXenes在制备和肿瘤治疗研究中存在的挑战和对未来的展望。     

地宝兰的离体快速繁殖

1植物名称地宝兰[Geodorum densiflorum (Lam.)Schltr.]。2材料类别种子。3培养条件种子萌发培养基:(1)MS;(2)MS 6-BA1.0mg·L-1(单位下同) NAA0.5;(3)1/2MS;(4)1/2MS 6-BA1.0 NAA0.5;(5)KC(Kundson