A risk signature-based on metastasis-associated genes to predict survival of patients with osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary solid malignant bone tumor, and its metastasis is a prominent cause of high mortality in patients. In this study, a prognosis risk signature was constructed based on metastasis-associated genes. Four microarrays datasets with clinical information were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus, and 256 metastasis-associated genes were identified by limma package. Further, a protein-protein interaction network was constructed, and survival analysis was performed using data from the Therapeutically Applicable Research to Generate Effective Treatments data matrix, identifying 19 genes correlated with prognosis. Six genes were selected by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression for multivariate cox analysis. Finally, a three-gene (MYC, CPE, and LY86) risk signature was constructed, and datasets GSE21257 and GSE16091 were used to validate the prediction efficiency of the signature. The survival times of low- and high-risk groups were significantly different in the training set and validation set. Additionally, gene set enrichment analysis revealed that the genes in the signature may affect the cell cycle, gap junctions, and interleukin-6 production. Therefore, the three-gene survival risk signature could potentially predict the prognosis of patients with OS. Further, proteins encoded by CPE and LY86 may provide novel insights into the prediction of OS prognosis and therapeutic targets.     

microRNA-95 knockdown inhibits epithelial–mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cell phenotype in gastric cancer cells through MAPK pathway by upregulating DUSP5

This study investigated the role of microRNA-95 (miR-95) in gastric cancer (GC) and to elucidate the underlying mechanism. Initially, bioinformatic prediction was used to predict the differentially expressed genes and related miRNAs in GC. miR-95 and DUSP5 expression was altered in GC cell line (MGC803) to evaluate their respective effects on the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) process, cellular processes (cell proliferation, migration, invasion, cell cycle, and apoptosis), cancer stem cell (CSC) phenotype, as well as tumor growth ability. It was further predicted in bioinformatic prediction and verified in GC tissue and cell line experiments that miR-95 was highly expressed in GC. miR-95 negatively regulated DUSP5, which resulted in the MAPK pathway activation. Inhibited miR-95 or overexpressed DUSP5 was observed to inhibit the levels of CSC markers (CD133, CD44, ALDH1, and Lgr5), highlighting the inhibitory role in the CSC phenotype. More important, evidence was obtained demonstrating that miR-95 knockdown or DUSP5 upregulation exerted an inhibitory effect on the EMT process, cellular processes, and tumor growth. Together these results, miR-95 knockdown inhibited GC development via DUSP5-dependent MAPK pathway.     

Pseudomonas oryzae sp. nov. isolated from a paddy soil in South China

A Gram-staining-negative, rod-shaped and motile with several polar flagellums bacterium, designated WM-3^T, was isolated from a rice paddy soil in South China. Growth occurred with 0–3.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 2.0 %), at pH 5.5–9.0 (optimum pH 7.0) and at 25–42 °C (optimum 30–37 °C) in liquid Reasoner’s 2A medium. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene and gyrB gene sequences revealed that strain WM-3^T was most closely related to the type strains of the species Pseudomonas linyingensis and Pseudomonas sagittaria. Its sequence similarities with P. linyingensis CGMCC 1.10701^T and P. sagittaria JCM 18195^T were 97.4 and 97.3 %, respectively, for 16S rRNA gene, and were 94.1 and 94.2 %, respectively, for gyrB gene. DNA–DNA hybridization between strain WM-3^T and these two type strains showed relatedness of 35.6 and 30.9 %, respectively. G+C content of genomic DNA was 69.4 mol%. The whole-cell fatty acids mainly consisted of C_16:0 (30.0 %), C_16:1 ω6c and/or C_16:1 ω7c (19.3 %) and C_18:1 ω6c and/or C_18:1 ω7c (16.3 %). The results of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic analyses clearly indicated that strain WM-3^T belongs to genus Pseudomonas but represents a novel species, for which the name Pseudomonas oryzae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is WM-3^T (=KCTC 32247^T =CGMCC 1.12417^T).     

The N Termini of a-Subunit Isoforms Are Involved in Signaling between Vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) and Cytohesin-2

Previously, we reported an acidification-dependent interaction of the endosomal vacuolar H⁺-ATPase (V-ATPase) with cytohesin-2, a GDP/GTP exchange factor (GEF), suggesting that it functions as a pH-sensing receptor. Here, we have studied the molecular mechanism of signaling between the V-ATPase, cytohesin-2, and Arf GTP-binding proteins. We found that part of the N-terminal cytosolic tail of the V-ATPase a2-subunit (a2N), corresponding to its first 17 amino acids (a2N(1–17)), potently modulates the enzymatic GDP/GTP exchange activity of cytohesin-2. Moreover, this peptide strongly inhibits GEF activity via direct interaction with the Sec7 domain of cytohesin-2. The structure of a2N(1–17) and its amino acids Phe⁵, Met¹⁰, and Gln¹⁴ involved in interaction with Sec7 domain were determined by NMR spectroscopy analysis. In silico docking experiments revealed that part of the V-ATPase formed by its a2N(1–17) epitope competes with the switch 2 region of Arf1 and Arf6 for binding to the Sec7 domain of cytohesin-2. The amino acid sequence alignment and GEF activity studies also uncovered the conserved character of signaling between all four (a1–a4) a-subunit isoforms of mammalian V-ATPase and cytohesin-2. Moreover, the conserved character of this phenomenon was also confirmed in experiments showing binding of mammalian cytohesin-2 to the intact yeast V-ATPase holo-complex. Thus, here we have uncovered an evolutionarily conserved function of the V-ATPase as a novel cytohesin-signaling receptor.     

Progress in the research of S-adenosyl-l-methionine production

This minireview mainly aims at the study of S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) production by microbial fermentation. A brief introduction of the biological role and application of SAM was presented. In general, SAM production can be improved by breeding of the producing strain through the conventional mutation or genetic engineering approach in the molecular or cellular scale, by optimization of culture conditions in the cellular scale or bioreactor engineering scale, or by multiscale approach. The productivity of SAM fermentation has been improved greatly through the efforts of many researchers using the methods previously mentioned. The SAM-producing strains used extensively are Pichia pastoris and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The effect of SAM on antibiotic production was also exemplified. The skill and scheme beneficial to the improvement of SAM production involves the enhancement of SAM synthetase (methionine adenosyltransferase) activity and selection of engineered constitutive promoters with appropriate strength; seeking for and eliminating the rate-limiting factors in SAM synthesis, namely, knocking off the genes that transform SAM and l-methionine (L-Met) to cysteine; release the feedback inhibition of SAM to methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase; blocking the transsulfuration pathway by interfering the responsible enzymes; enhancing ATP level through pulsed feeding of glycerol; and optimizing the L-Met feeding strategy. Precise control of gene expression and quantitative assessment of physiological parameters in engineered P. pastoris were highlighted. Finally, a discussion of the prospect of SAM production was presented.     

Repeated oral administration of capsaicin increases anxiety-like behaviours with prolonged stress-response in rats

This study was conducted to examine the psycho-emotional effects of repeated oral exposure to capsaicin, the principal active component of chili peppers. Each rat received 1 mL of 0.02% capsaicin into its oral cavity daily, and was subjected to behavioural tests following 10 daily administrations of capsaicin. Stereotypy counts and rostral grooming were significantly increased, and caudal grooming decreased, in capsaicin-treated rats during the ambulatory activity test. In elevated plus maze test, not only the time spent in open arms but also the percent arm entry into open arms was reduced in capsaicin-treated rats compared with control rats. In forced swim test, although swimming duration was decreased, struggling increased in the capsaicin group, immobility duration did not differ between the groups. Repeated oral capsaicin did not affect the basal levels of plasma corticosterone; however, the stress-induced elevation of plasma corticosterone was prolonged in capsaicin treated rats. Oral capsaicin exposure significantly increased c-Fos expression not only in the nucleus tractus of solitarius but also in the paraventricular nucleus. Results suggest that repeated oral exposure to capsaicin increases anxiety-like behaviours in rats, and dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis may play a role in its pathophysiology.     

定量蛋白质组学分析链霉素耐药和敏感结核分枝杆菌临床分离株

[目的]发现结核分枝杆菌(Mycobacterium tuberculosis)链霉素耐药相关的潜在菌体蛋白.[方法]以结核分枝杆菌临床分离链霉素敏感株01105和结核分枝杆菌H37Rv为对照,采用iTRAQ技术和生物信息学鉴定并相对定量结核分枝杆菌临床分离链霉素耐药株01108菌体蛋白,并通过WEGO功能注释聚类分析01108菌株差异表达蛋白的细胞组分、分子功能和生物进程.[结果]01108菌株分别与01105菌株和H37Rv菌株比较差异表达蛋白为194个和146个,01108菌株与01105菌株和H37Rv比较均差异表达蛋白121个(共同差异表达蛋白).差异表达蛋白理论相对分子量和等电点分布广泛,其生物进程主要参与中间代谢、呼吸作用和脂质代谢,分子功能主要为催化活性功能和结合功能.共同差异表达蛋白:7个核糖体蛋白(Rv2785c,Rv0056,Rv0641,Rv0652,Rv0701,Rv1630和Rv2442c)在01108菌株中表达下调;7个蛋白在01108菌株中显著差异表达(上调大于1.20倍或下调小于0.55倍),分别为巯基过氧化物酶(Rv1932)、酰基载体蛋白脱氢酶(Rv0824c)、30S核糖体蛋白S15 (Rv2785c)、丙酮酸脱氢酶E2部分(Rv2215)、双组份转录调控蛋白(Rv3133c)以及假定未知蛋白(Rv2466c和Rv2626c).[结论]iTRAQ发现了链霉素耐药结核分枝杆菌相对于链霉素敏感结核分枝杆菌和H37Rv共同差异表达蛋白,为进一步探讨结核分枝杆菌链霉素耐药机制奠定了基础.