Up-regulation of lipid metabolism and glycine betaine synthesis are associated with choline-induced salt tolerance in halophytic seashore paspalum

Choline may affect salt tolerance by regulating lipid and glycine betaine (GB) metabolism. This study was conducted to determine whether alteration of lipid profiles and GB metabolism may contribute to choline regulation and genotypic variations in salt tolerance in a halophytic grass, seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum). Plants of Adalayd and Sea Isle 2000 were subjected to salt stress (200-mM NaCl) with or without foliar application of choline chloride (1 mM). Genotypic variations in salt tolerance and promotive effects of choline application on salt tolerance were associated with both the up-regulation of lipid metabolism and GB synthesis. The genotypic variations in salt tolerance associated with lipid metabolism were reflected by the differential accumulation of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine between Adalayd and Sea Isle 2000. Choline-induced salt tolerance was associated with of the increase in digalactosyl diacylglycerol (DGDG) content including DGDG (36:4 and 36:6) in both cultivars of seashore paspalum and enhanced synthesis of phosphatidylinositol (34:2, 36:5, and 36:2) and phosphatidic acid (34:2, 34:1, and 36:5), as well as increases in the ratio of digalactosyl diacylglycerol: monogalactosyl diacylglycerol (DGDG:MGDG) in salt-tolerant Sea Isle 2000. Choline regulation of salt tolerance may be due to the alteration in lipid metabolism in this halophytic grass species.     

Immunoregulation and antioxidant activities of a novel acidic polysaccharide from Radix Paeoniae Alba

Radix Paeoniae Alba is widely used in Chinese traditional medicine to treat various diseases such as gastrointestinal disorders, immunomodulatory, cancer, and other diseases. In this paper, a novel acidic polysaccharide RPAPS purified from Radix Paeoniae Alba was evaluated for its structural features and potential of immunomodulatory and antioxidant activities. RPAPS (molecular weight: 1.0× 105 Da) was mainly composed of α-(1 → 4)-Glcp, α-Arap, α-Galp, α-Rhap, β-D-Glcp, α-(1 → 6)-linked Glcp and GalA. Immunological tests indicated that RPAPS could improve RAW264.7 phagocytic activity and LPS-induced splenocyte proliferation. For antioxidant activities, RPAPS showed reducing power and DPPH scavenging activity in dose dependent. Moreover, RPAPS could significantly protect the PC12 cells from H2O2 damage. These data implied polysaccharides RPAPS had the potential to be novel natural antioxidative and immunopotentiating agents for using in functional foods or medicine.     

Separation and preparation of N-glycans based on ammonia-catalyzed release method

Glycoconjugate Journal - The study of carbohydrates requires large amounts of glycans. N-Glycans can be synthesized but generating large quantities of N-glycans with diverse structures remains...     

Distinguishing the effects of vegetation restoration on runoff and sediment generation on simulated rainfall on the hillslopes of the loess plateau of China

Aims

Since the 1970s, extensive croplands were converted to forest and pasture lands to control severe soil erosion on the Loess Plateau of China. We quantify the direct and indirect effects of vegetation restoration on runoff and sediment yield on hillslopes in the field to improve environmental governance.

Methods

An artificial rainfall experiment at a rainfall intensity of 120 mm h⁻¹ and a slope gradient of 22° were used to distinguish the effects of vegetation restoration on runoff and sediment yield.

Results

Compared to the farmland slopes, vegetation restoration directly prolonged the time-to-runoff by 140%, reduced the runoff rate by 20%, and increased the soil infiltration capacity by 15%. Vegetation restoration indirectly delayed the time-to-runoff by 120%, reduced the runoff rate and sediment yield rate by 50% and 94%, respectively, and increased the soil infiltration capacity by 58% on the hillslopes with vegetation restoration.

Conclusions

The direct effects of vegetation restoration on runoff and sediment yield were lower than its indirect impacts. Vegetation cover, decreases in soil bulk density, and increases in belowground root biomasses and > 0.25 mm aggregate stability were the primary causes of runoff and sediment yield reduction on the slopes with vegetation restoration.

     

Aliphatic suberin confers salt tolerance to Arabidopsis by limiting Na+ influx,K+ efflux and water backflow

Plant and Soil - Uncontrolled uptake of Na+ is the reason that many species are sensitive to salinity. Suberin is a protective barrier found in the walls of root endodermal cells that appears to be...     

Sevoflurane protects cardiomyocytes against hypoxia/reperfusion injury via LINC01133/miR-30a-5p axis

Previous studies failed to elucidate the detailed mechanisms of anesthetic preconditioning as a protective approach against ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury in cells. The present study mainly centered on discovering the mechanisms of Sevoflurane (Sev) in preventing cardiomyocytes against I/R injury. Human cardiomyocyte AC16 cell line was used to simulate I/R injury based on a hypoxia/reperfusion (H/R) model. After Sev treatment, cell viability and apoptosis were detected by MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) content was measured using an LDH Detection Kit. Relative mRNA and protein expressions of LINC01133, miR-30a-5p and apoptosis-related proteins were detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot as needed. Target gene of miR-30a-5p and their potential binding sites were predicted using Starbase and confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Cell behaviors were assessed again after miR-30a-5p and LINC01133 transfection. Sev could improve cell viability, reduce LDH leakage, and down-regulate the expressions of apoptosis-related proteins (Bax, cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9) and LINC01133 as well as up-regulate miR-30a-5p and Bcl-2 expressions in H/R cells. MiR-30a-5p was the target of LINC01133, and up-regulating miR-30a-5p enhanced the effects of Sev in H/R cells, with a suppression on H/R-induced activation of the p53 signaling pathway. However, up-regulating LINC01133 reversed the enhancing effects of miR-30a-5p on Sev pretreatment in H/R cells. Sev could protect cardiomyocytes against H/R injury through the miR-30a-5p/LINC01133 axis, which may provide a possible therapeutic method for curing cardiovascular I/R injury.     

Comparative analysis of the complete mitochondrial genomes of three rockfishes (Scorpaeniformes,Sebastiscus) and insights into the phylogenetic relationships of Sebastidae

Mitochondrial genome is a powerful molecule marker to provide information for phylogenetic relationships and revealing molecular evolution in ichthyological studies. Sebastiscus species, a marine rockfish, are of essential economic value. However, the taxonomic status and phylogenetic relationships of Sebastidae have been controversial so far. Here, the mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of three species, S. tertius, S. albofasciatus, and S. marmoratus, were systemically investigated. The lengths of the mitogenomes’ sequences of S. tertius, S. albofasciatus, and S. marmoratus were 16910, 17056, and 17580 bp, respectively. It contained 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and one identical control region (D-loop) among the three species. The genetic distance and K_a/K_s ratio analyses indicated 13 PCGs were suffering purifying selection and the selection pressures were different from certain deep-sea fishes, which were most likely due to the difference in their living environment. The phylogenetic tree was constructed by Bayesian Inference (BI) and Maximum Likelihood (ML). Most interestingly, the results indicated that Sebastidae and Scorpaenidae were grouped into a separate branch, so the taxonomic status of Sebastidae should be classified into subfamily Sebastinae. Our results may lead to a taxonomic revision of Scorpaenoidei.     

Research on the roles of genes coding ATP-binding cassette transporters in Porphyromonas gingivalis pathogenicity

Porphyromonas gingivalis, as a major pathogen of periodontitis, could rapidly adhere to and invade host gingival epithelial cells (GECs) for the induction of infection. One ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter gene was found to be upregulated during this infection process, however, the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we systemically investigated the messenger RNA level changes of all ABC transporter family genes in P. gingivalis while being internalized within GECs by real-time polymerase chain reaction. We identified that two ABC transporter genes, PG_RS04465 (PG1010) and PG_RS07320 (PG1665), were significantly increased in P. gingivalis after coculturing with GECs. Mutant strains with knockout (KO) of these two genes were generated by homogenous recombination. PG_RS04465 and PG_RS07320 KO mutants showed no change in the growth of bacteria per se. Knockdown of PG_RS07320, but not PG_RS04465, caused decreased endotoxin level in the bacteria. In contrast, both mutant strains showed decreased Arg- and Lys-gingipains activities, with significantly reduced adhesion and invasion capabilities. Secreted interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-6 levels in GECs cocultured with PG_RS04465 or PG_RS07320 KO mutants were also decreased, whereas, only the cells cocultured with PG_RS07320 KO mutants showed significant decrease. In addition, virulence study using mouse revealed that both KO mutant strains infection caused less mouse death than wild-type strains, showing reduced virulence of two KO strains. These results indicated that ABC transporter genes PG_RS04465 and PG_RS07320 are positive regulators of the virulence of P. gingivalis.     

Regulatory effects of lncRNA ATB targeting miR-200c on proliferation and apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells

This investigation was intended to elucidate whether long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)-activated by transforming growth factor-β (ATB) interacting with miR-200c could mediate colorectal cancer (CRC) progression, offering potential strategies for diagnosing and treating CRC. Here totally 315 patients with CRC were recruited, and their CRC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were gathered. Concurrently, four colon cancer cell lines (ie, SW620, Lovo, HCT116, and SW480) and the human colon mucosal epithelial cell line (NCM460) were also purchased. Moreover, si-ATB, si-NC, miR-200c mimic, miR-200c inhibitor, and miR-NC were prepared for transfection into the CRC cells, and their effects on CRC cell lines were evaluated based on the conduction of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, colony formation assay, and flow cytometry assay. Eventually, the Luciferase reporter gene assay was carried out to judge if there existed a targeted relationship between ATB and miR-200c. The results of Cox regression analyses suggested that overexpressed lncRNA ATB, underexpressed miR-200c, poor tumor differentiation, lymph-vascular invasion, and perineural invasion were symbolic of shortened survival of the patients with CRC (all P < .05). Besides, transfection of pcDNA3.1-ATB and miR-200c inhibitor could boost the viability and proliferation of Lovo and SW620 cell lines (all P < .05). Meanwhile, the expressions of p53 and p21 were also reduced under treatments of pcDNA3.1-ATB and miR-200c inhibitor (P < .05). In addition, CDK2 seemed to reverse the contribution of miR-200c to intensifying viability and proliferation of Lovo and SW420 cell lines (P < .05). Furthermore, ATB might downregulate miR-200c expression by targeting it (P < .05), and CDK2 was subjected to dual regulation of both ATB and miR-200c (P < .05). In conclusion, the lncRNA ATB/miR-200c/CDK2 signaling was responsible for intensified proliferation and prohibited apoptosis of CRC cells, which might provide effective approaches for diagnosing and treating CRC.     

circRNA_0058097 promotes tension-induced degeneration of endplate chondrocytes by regulating HDAC4 expression through sponge adsorption of miR-365a-5p

Excessive mechanical tension can lead to the degeneration of endplate chondrocytes. The presence of tension-sensitive circRNA_0058097 molecules has been detected in human endplate chondrocytes, where it was found to be a potential competing endogenous RNA. Indeed, inhibiting the expression of circRNA_0058097 effectively enhanced the stress resistance of endplate chondrocytes, suggesting that it may be an important trigger point for the degeneration of endplate cartilage. Through a series of experiments, we reveal that circRNA_0058097 can upregulate the expression of downstream target gene histone deacetylase 4 by sponge adsorption of miR-365a-5p, which promoted morphological changes of endplate chondrocytes, and increased extracellular matrix degradation and degeneration of endplate cartilage. Therefore, circRNA_0058097 may provide a new way to prevent and treat endplate cartilage degeneration.