MiR-506 inhibits PRRSV replication in MARC-145 cells via CD151

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is one of the most economically important diseases of swine, which is caused by PRRS virus (PRRSV). CD151, one of PRRSV entry mediators, determines the cell susceptibility for PRRSV. Emerging evidence indicates that the host microRNAs (miRNAs) play key roles in modulating virus infection and viral pathogenesis. In the present study, targeting porcine CD151 miRNAs were identified, and their function during PRRSV infection in MARC-145 cells was further verified. We found that miR-506 could directly target porcine CD151 3′-UTR mRNA by luciferase reporter assay. Overexpression of miR-506 significantly decreased CD151 expression at both mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-506 reduced cellular PRRSV replication and virus release in MARC-145 cells. Our results suggested that miR-506 could inhibit PRRSV replication by directly targeting PRRSV receptor of CD151 in MARC-145 cells. However, the molecular mechanisms of miR-506 and its function in vivo need further investigation.     

Characterization of a glutamine synthetase gene DvGS1 from Dunaliella viridis and investigation of the impact on expression of DvGS1 in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana

A novel glutamine synthetase (GS) gene DvGS1 showing highest amino acid sequence identity of 78 % with the other homologous GS proteins from green algae, was isolated and characterized from Dunaliella viridis. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that DvGS1 occupied an independent phylogenetic position which was different with the GSs from higher plants, animals and microbes. Functional complement in E. coli mutant confirmed that the DvGS1 encoded functional GS enzyme. Real-time PCR analysis of DvGS1 in D. viridis cells under nitrogen starvation revealed that the mRNA level of DvGS1 was positively up-regulated in 12 h. The DvGS1 levels at the points of 12 and 24 h were separately twofold and fourfold of the level before nitrogen starvation. In order to investigate the potential application of DvGS1 in higher plants, the transgenic study of DvGS1 in Arabidopsis thaliana was carried out. Phenotype identification demonstrated that all three transgenic lines of T3 generation showed obviously enhanced root length (26 %), fresh weight (22–46 % at two concentrations of nitrate supplies), stem length (26 %), leaf size (29 %) and silique number (30 %) compared with the wild-type Arabidopsis. Biochemical analysis confirmed that all three transgenic lines had higher total nitrogen content, soluble protein concentration, total amino acid content and the leaf GS activity than the wild type plants. The free NH₄ ⁺ and NO₃ ^? concentration in fresh leaves of three transgenic lines were reduced by 17–26 % and 14–15 % separately (at two concentrations of nitrate supplies) compared with those of the wild types. All the results indicated that over-expression of DvGS1 in Arabidopsis significantly results in the improvement of growth phenotype and the host’s nitrogen use efficiency.     

Deciphering the roles of Arabidopsis LPCAT and PAH in phosphatidylcholine homeostasis and pathway coordination for chloroplast lipid synthesis

Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is a key intermediate in the metabolic network of glycerolipid biosynthesis. Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase (LPCAT) and phosphatidic acid phosphatase (PAH) are two key enzymes of PC homeostasis. We report that LPCAT activity is markedly induced in the Arabidopsis pah mutant. The quadruple pah lpcat mutant, with dual defects in PAH and LPCAT, had a level of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) that was much higher than that in the lpcat mutants and a PC content that was higher than that in the pah mutant. Comparative molecular profile analysis of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol and digalactosyldiacylglycerol revealed that both the pah and pah lpcat mutants had increased proportions of 34:6 from the prokaryotic pathway despite differing levels of LPCAT activity. We show that a decreased representation of the C_16:0C_18:2 diacylglycerol moiety in PC was a shared feature of pah and pah lpcat, and that this change in PC metabolic profile correlated with the increased prokaryotic contribution to chloroplast lipid synthesis. We detected increased PC deacylation in the pah lpcat mutant that was attributable at least in part to the induced phospholipases. Increased LPC generation was also evident in the pah mutant, but the phospholipases were not induced, raising the possibility that PC deacylation is mediated by the reverse reaction of LPCAT. We discuss possible roles of LPCAT and PAH in PC turnover that impacts lipid pathway coordination for chloroplast lipid synthesis.     

The effect of XPD/ERCC2 Lys751Gln polymorphism on acute leukemia risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Aims

Epidemiological studies have assessed the association between xeroderma pigmentosum group D (XPD) Lys751Gln and acute leukemia risk with conflicting results. We performed this meta-analysis to derive a more precise estimation of the relationship. Pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was used to assess the strength of the association.

Results

Ten published case–control studies including a total of 1494 cases and 2259 controls were identified. Overall, significant risk effects of Lys751Gln genotype was found under the dominant model (OR = 1.16; 95% CI = 1.01–1.34; P = 0.032). When stratified by clinical types, the variant genotype was associated with the acute myeloid leukemia (AML) risk under the heterozygote comparison (OR = 1.20; 95% CI = 1.00–1.43; P = 0.048), the homozygote comparison (OR = 1.35; 95% CI = 1.05–1.74; P = 0.019) and the dominant model (OR = 1.23; 95% CI = 1.04–1.45; P = 0.015), respectively. Furthermore, significantly increased risks were also pronounced in Caucasian AML patients (the homozygote comparison: OR = 1.38; 95% CI = 1.07–1.78; P = 0.013; the dominant model: OR = 1.23; 95% CI = 1.03–1.46; P = 0.020; and the recessive model: OR = 1.26; 95% CI = 1.00–1.60; P = 0.050). No evident heterogeneities were observed for the overall data under all genetic models. In addition, no statistical evidence for publication bias was found using the method of Begg's and Egger's tests.

Conclusion

This meta-analysis suggested that XPD Lys751Gln polymorphism might be a risk factor for AML and Caucasian acute leukemia patients.     

Characterization of a glutamine synthetase gene DvGS2 from Dunaliella viridis and biochemical identification of DvGS2-transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana

The salt-tolerant green alga Dunaliella has remarkable capability to survive in some extreme environments such as nitrogen starvation, which makes Dunaliella be a proper model for mining novel genes on nitrogen uptake or assimilation. In this study, a glutamine synthetase (GS) gene DvGS2 with amino acid identity of 72% to other homologous GS proteins, was isolated and characterized from Dunaliella viridis. Phylogenetic comparison with other GSs revealed that DvGS2 occupied an independent phylogenetic position. Expressional analysis in D. viridis cells under nitrogen starvation confirmed that DvGS2 increased its mRNA level in 12 h. Subcellular localization study and functional analysis in a GS-deficient Escherichia coli mutant proved that DvGS2 was a chloroplastic and functional GS enzyme. In order to investigate the potential application of DvGS2 in higher plants, the transgenic studies of DvGS2 in Arabidopsis thaliana were carried out. Results showed that the transgenic lines expressed the DvGS2 gene and demonstrated obviously enhanced root length (29%), fresh weight (40%–48% at two concentrations of nitrate supplies), stem length (21%), leaf size (39%) and silique number (44%) in contrast with the wild-type Arabidopsis. Furthermore, the transgenic lines had higher total nitrogen content (35%–43%), total GS activity (39%–45%) and soluble protein concentration (23%–24%) than the wild type. These results indicated that the overexpression of DvGS2 in A. thaliana resulted in higher biomass and the improvement of the host's nitrogen use efficiency.     

施肥对内蒙古短花针茅荒漠草原土壤呼吸的影响

2012年在内蒙古短花针茅荒漠草原设置了3个N肥水平（2.5、5和10 g N·m^-2）的不同NPK配施样地,并以未施肥样地为对照(CK),采用LI 8100土壤碳通量测量系统测定了样地中土壤呼吸速率的日动态和季节变化,分析土壤呼吸速率与环境因子的关系.结果表明: 在植物生长旺盛期(8月),3个N肥水平中,10 g N·m^-2处理的土壤呼吸速率显著高于其他处理,5和2.5 g N·m^-2处理的土壤呼吸速率与CK无显著差异.在植物生长初期和中期(5—9月),施P肥有利于提高土壤呼吸速率.施肥并未改变荒漠草原土壤呼吸的日动态和季节变化特征.各处理日变化最高值和最低值分别出现在10:00—14:00和03:00—05:00;季节动态的峰值均出现在8月.土壤呼吸速率与5 cm土壤温度及0～10 cm土壤含水量显著相关,其决定系数分别在0.40～0.58和0.51～0.70,说明表层土壤含水量是制约土壤呼吸变化的主要环境因子.