Efficient Human Genome Editing Using SaCas9 Ribonucleoprotein Complexes

Genome editing using RNA‐guided nucleases in their ribonucleoprotein (RNP) form represents a promising strategy for gene modification and therapy because they are free of exogenous DNA integration and have reduced toxicity in vivo and ex vivo. However, genome editing by Cas9 nuclease from Staphylococcus aureus (SaCas9) has not been reported in its RNP form, which recognizes a longer protospacer adjacent motif (PAM), 5′‐NNGRRT‐3′, compared with Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) of 5′‐NGG‐3′ PAM. Here, SaCas9‐RNP‐mediated genome editing is reported in human cells. The SaCas9‐RNP displayed efficient genome editing activities of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) coding gene as well as three endogenous genes (OPA1, RS1, and VEGFA). Further, SaCas9‐RNP is successfully implemented to correct a pathogenic RS1 mutation for X‐linked juvenile retinoschisis. It is also shown that off‐target effects triggered by SaCas9‐RNP are undetectable by targeted deep sequencing. Collectively, this study demonstrates the potential of SaCas9‐RNP‐mediated genome editing in human cells, which could facilitate genome‐editing‐based therapy.     

Characteristics and simulation of snow interception by the canopy of primary spruce‐fir Korean pine forests in the Xiaoxing'an Mountains of China

Snow interception by the forest canopy is an important control on the forest hydrological cycle in the Xiaoxing'an Mountains within the northern temperate region of China. In this study, the effects of snowfall characteristics and stand structures on the snowfall redistribution of the canopies within primary spruce‐fir Korean pine forests are analyzed at the forest stand scale. Characteristics of snowfall, through‐canopy snowfall, and stand structure are continuously measured using positioning observations. A semiempirical theoretical model is used to conduct snow interception simulations in the Xiaoxing'an Mountain region. The results indicate that the snowfall, canopy density, slope gradient, and tree height have a significant effect on the through‐canopy snowfall. The interception efficiency gradually decreases with an increase in the amount of snowfall and is particularly sensitive to the snowfall and canopy density, although it shows no significant correlation with average diameter at breast height, tree height, basal area, canopy height, canopy width, leaf area, or slope gradient. Very similar results have been observed in Canada and Switzerland, suggesting the transferability of the results between North America, Western Europe, and China. However, although model results provide a satisfactory simulation of snow interception, further studies are required to optimize the model in this region.     

Changes in ecosystem services and an analysis of driving factors for China's Natural Forest Conservation Program

China's Natural Forest Conservation Program (NFCP) is aimed at improving the fragile and unstable ecological environment and has become one of the largest ecological restoration programs in the world because of its enormous investment and effects. It is important to work out and strengthen new measures to overcome difficulties to promote more ecosystem services and human well‐being in the NFCP. This study focused on how to evaluate the ecosystem services change brought about by implementing the NFCP. Taking the key state‐owned forest areas in the Northeast and Inner Mongolia as the study area, we provide a basic overview of development and construct an evaluation index system and a distributed calculation method for the NFCP to analyze the implications of the NFCP on ecosystem services combined with multi‐source data coupling. An evaluation index system for NFCP ecosystem services was constructed. The system includes five ecological service functions and 12 evaluation indices. The trade‐off and/or synergistic analysis of ecosystem services were carried out. The regional characteristics and changes in the NFCP ecosystem services were emphasized. Although it has not been implemented for a long time, the NFCP has had a great impact on ecosystem services because it reduces soil and water losses, increases soil fertility, strengthens the forest carbon sink and helped the forest accumulate nutrients and purify the atmosphere. Socioeconomic factors affect the NFCP ecosystem services, such as the implementation area of NFCP, investment amount of NFCP, area ratio of nature reserves, and yield of tree stock volume. Policy drivers of the NFCP, changes in the economic structure and reductions in forest yield are the main factors affecting the change in NFCP ecosystem services. Although the NFCP has positively affected the society, the economy, and the ecological environment, it has also generated some problems, such as the improper management of forest resources, shortage of capital investment, staff transfer, etc. The social and economic problems will be transient with implementation of the NFCP, and the structural changes in forestry and agriculture may eventually benefit the forestry workers and other stakeholders.     

人中鼻甲来源嗅鞘细胞培养与鉴定的初步研究

目的探索一种从人中鼻甲分离培养嗅鞘细胞的方法并鉴定所获得的细胞。 方法通过手术获取人中鼻甲黏膜组织,随后进行两步消化并剥离黏膜上皮组织,得到体积较小的组织块,再进行组织块原代（传代）培养并加压筛选,最终得到双极或多极样细胞并对获得的细胞进行免疫荧光鉴定。上皮样细胞比例、S100β和p75阳性细胞比例用 ±s表示,组间比较采用独立样本t检验。 结果将不剥离上皮层与剥离上皮层培养的原代细胞中上皮样细胞的比例进行对比,发现上皮层组上皮样细胞比例为（92.23±3.93）%高于剥离上皮层组上皮样细胞的比例（77.63±2.97）%,差异具有统计学意义（t = 5.129,P = 0.007）。采用剥离上皮层法培养原代细胞,经过加压筛选的细胞呈现双极或多极样,符合嗅鞘细胞形态学特点。免疫荧光染色发现,S100β阳性细胞占总细胞量的（8.1±1.7）%,而p75阳性细胞占总细胞量的5%以下,达到国内外研究同等水平。 结论通过使用两步消化法和加压筛选联合的方法从人中鼻甲粘膜组织中成功获得了人中鼻甲嗅鞘细胞,相比较传统方法,细胞分离培养周期明显缩短。     

Forest characteristics and population structure of Glyptostrobus pensilis,a globally endangered relict species of southeastern China

The Chinese water pine Glyptostrobus pensilis is the sole surviving species of the genus Glyptostrobus. It is endemic to southern China, central Vietnam, and eastern Laos, and today it is nearly extinct in the wild. Forest community characteristics and population structure of G. pensilis in China have remained un-known up to now. We investigated six swamp forest stands and analyzed their forest community characteristics (i.e. vertical stratification, species composition, and diversity) and population structure, including the frequency distribution of DBH (diameter at breast height) and age-classes as found in Fujian Province, southeastern China. The vertical stratifications of all the forest stands were rather simple. The remaining wild specimens ranged from roughly 15 to some 357 years for an average of ca. 85 years, with only a few individuals less than 20 years old. Compared with the stands and populations of G. pensilis in Vietnam, the taxonomic compositions of the stands in the two regions were different, except for the dominant species-G. pensilis. The Shannon-Wiener index showed the overstory of each stand had much lower diversity (0.26 on average) in Fujian Province than that (1.97 on average) in Vietnam, whereas the diversity indices were about the same (around 2.41) for the understories in the two regions. Furthermore, we discovered 18 G. pensilis seedlings at the study sites in Fujian Province. This discovery demonstrates that G. pensilis regeneration is extremely poor and its populations are declining, although these populations are rela-tively healthier than those in Vietnam.     

Therapeutic applications of adipose-derived stromal vascular fractions in osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is considered to be a highly heterogeneous disease with progressive cartilage loss, subchondral bone remodeling, and low-grade inflammation. It is one of the world's leading causes of disability. Most conventional clinical treatments for OA are palliative drugs, which cannot fundamentally cure this disease. The stromal vascular fraction (SVF) from adipose tissues is a heterogeneous cell population. According to previous studies, it contains a large number of mesenchymal stem cells, which have been used to treat OA with good therapeutic results. This safe, simple, and effective therapy is expected to be applied and promoted in the future. In this paper, the detailed pathogenesis, diagnosis, and current clinical treatments for OA are introduced. Then, clinical studies and the therapeutic mechanism of SVF for the treatment of OA are summarized.     

Cryo-EM structures reveal the dynamic transformation of human alpha-2-macroglobulin working as a protease inhibitor

Science China Life Sciences - Human alpha-2-macroglobulin is a well-known inhibitor of a broad spectrum of proteases and plays important roles in immunity, inflammation, and infections. Here, we...     

Realized niche shift associated with Galinsoga quadriradiata (Asteraceae) invasion in China

粗毛牛膝菊在中国的入侵与生态位漂移有关 在外来物种入侵和扩散过程中,生态位的漂移可能起到了重要作用。粗毛牛膝菊(Galinsoga quadriradiata) 在中国已造成了较为严重的入侵,占据了许多与其原产地不同的气候区。为此,本研究力图揭示粗毛牛膝菊入侵过程中的气候生态位漂移,分析其在该物种入 侵中国过程中可能发挥的作用。本研究结合粗毛牛膝菊原 产地和入侵地的分布点与气候数据, 采用Maxent模型预测了其在中国潜在的分布,并采用主成分分析的方法评估 了在入侵中国过程中粗毛牛膝菊气候生态位的漂移。模型结果显示,该物种原产地种群和入侵地种群之间只 有32.7%的生态位重叠,两个种群的生态位相似性较低(Schoener's D = 0.093, P < 0.005),这暗示了在其入侵过程中发生了生态位漂移。相比于其原产地种群,其在中国的入侵种群气候生态位的整体范围和中心都明 显地漂移向了温度更低、降水更少的区域;中国南方大部分区域属于粗毛牛膝菊的稳定适生区,而位于入侵 前沿的北方地区则存在局域适应和潜在拓殖区域。这些研究结果说明,粗毛牛膝菊在中国的入侵种群仍处于准平衡阶段,未来有可能继续向新的适生区扩散入侵,其生态位的变化有力地解释了为什么该物种在中国的入侵性强、危害范围大。