Single-Cell Heterogeneity Analysis and CRISPR Screen Identify Key β-Cell-Specific Disease Genes

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Cell-penetrating peptide-mediated transfection of proteins into tissues of Arabidopsis and Chinese cabbage

In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Plant - Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are a class of short peptides, which have the ability of intracellular delivery. CPPs can also be used as an...     

Alternate partial root-zone irrigation induced dry/wet cycles of soils stimulate N mineralization and improve N nutrition in tomatoes

Given the same amount of irrigation volume, applying alternate partial root-zone irrigation (PRI) has improved crop N nutrition as compared to deficit irrigation (DI), yet the mechanisms underlying this effect remain unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate whether PRI induced soil dry/wet cycles facilitate soil organic N mineralization hereby contributing to the improvement of N nutrition in tomatoes. The plants were grown in split-root pots in a climate-controlled glasshouse and were subjected to PRI and DI treatments during early fruiting stage. ¹⁵N-labeled maize residues were incorporated into the soils. Results showed that PRI resulted in 25% higher net ¹⁵N mineralization than did DI, indicating that the enhanced mineralization of soil organic N alone could account for the 16% increase of N accumulation in the PRI than in the DI plants. The higher net N mineralization under PRI was coincided with an intensified soil microbial activity. In addition, even though soil chloroform fumigation labile carbon (CFL-C, as an index of microbial biomass) was similar for the two irrigation treatments, a significant increase of chloroform fumigation labile nitrogen (CFL-N) was found in the PRI wetting soil. Consequently, the C:N ratio of the chloroform fumigation labile pool was remarkably modified by the PRI treatment, which might indicate physiological changes of soil microbes or changes in labiality of soil organic C and N due to the dry/wet cycles of soils, altering conditions for net N mineralization. Moreover, in both soil compartments PRI caused significantly less extractable organic carbon (EOC) as compared with DI; whilst in the PRI wetting soil significantly higher extractable organic nitrogen (EON) was observed. A low EOC:EON ratio in the PRI wetting soil may indicate an increasing net mineralization of the organic N as a result of microbial metabolism. Conclusively, PRI induced greater microbial activity and higher microbial substrates availability are seemingly responsible for the enhanced net N mineralization and improved N nutrition in tomato plants.     

A pooling-deconvolution strategy for biological network elucidation

The generation of large-scale data sets is a fundamental requirement of systems biology. But despite recent advances, generation of such high-coverage data remains a major challenge. We developed a pooling-deconvolution strategy that can dramatically decrease the effort required. This strategy, pooling with imaginary tags followed by deconvolution (PI-deconvolution), allows the screening of 2(n) probe proteins (baits) in 2 x n pools, with n replicates for each bait. Deconvolution of baits with their binding partners (preys) can be achieved by reading the prey's profile from the 2 x n experiments. We validated this strategy for protein-protein interaction mapping using both proteome microarrays and a yeast two-hybrid array, demonstrating that PI-deconvolution can be used to identify interactions accurately with fewer experiments and better coverage. We also show that PI-deconvolution can be used to identify protein-small molecule interactions inferred from profiling the yeast deletion collection. PI-deconvolution should be applicable to a wide range of library-against-library approaches and can also be used to optimize array designs.     

An appropriate loading control for western blot analysis in animal models of myocardial ischemic infarction

An appropriate loading control is critical for Western blot analysis. Housekeeping proteins (HKPs), such as β-actin, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), and β-tubulin, are commonly used to normalize protein expression. But HKP expression can be impacted by certain experimental conditions, such as ischemic myocardial infarction. This study was undertaken to look for an appropriate loading control for western blot analysis of ischemic myocardium. Myocardial ischemic infarction was induced by left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) ligation in Rhesus monkeys and C57BL/6 mice. The heart tissue samples from different areas and time points after surgery were subjected to western blot or gel staining. The level of β-actin, GAPDH, β-tubulin, and total protein were tested. The total protein level was consistent in all groups, whereas the protein level of β-tubulin and β-actin were different in all groups. However, the protein level of GAPDH was stable in the Rhesus monkey model. We concluded that total protein was the most appropriate internal control in different stages of myocardial ischemic disease of various animal models. GAPDH is a reliable internal control only for ischemic myocardium of Rhesus monkey.     

Differentiation of Photoperiod-Induced ABA and Soluble Sugar Responses of Two Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) Cultivars

Adaptation of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) to new regions demands acclimation to day-length, in addition to a host of other abiotic factors. To further elucidate the effects of photoperiod on development of quinoa, two differently adapted cultivars, Achachino (short day) from Bolivia and Titicaca (day-length neutral), were subjected to continuous long (17.5 h) and short (10 h) photoperiod conditions as well as a shift between the two to trigger possible adaptive mechanisms initiated by changes in leaf soluble sugar and ABA concentration. Our findings show both cultivars responding to an increase in photoperiod with significant increases in soluble sugar concentrations and a simultaneous increase in ABA. However, Titicaca exhibited a much stronger ABA response to increase in photoperiod, whereas the increase for Achachino falls within the range of natural diurnal variation. Achachino also showed increasing sensitivity to long photoperiods throughout all reproductive growth stages, resulting in continued flowering, stem elongation and disruption of seed formation, whereas Titicaca was capable of maintaining full seed set under all the photoperiod conditions. Discernible photoperiod-dependent chlorosis of the lower leaves of Titicaca was observed under long photoperiods compared to short photoperiods, implying multi-faceted adaptive responses to changes in photoperiod which may also involve nitrogen and carbon dynamics. Both ABA and sugar signals are possibly involved in regulating the photoperiod-adaptive capability of each cultivar, leading to pronounced differences in growth and reproductive development patterns between the contrasting cultivars.     

亚洲飞蝗在中国新疆维吾尔自治区的发生与防治

从亚洲飞蝗在新疆发生基地的生境特点;形成和消退过程,分析亚洲飞蝗灾害发生消退的原因。自然条件变化和人们经济活动常改变亚洲飞蝗发生基地的生态条件及环境,并诱发或抑制飞蝗灾害的发生。文章指出根治亚洲飞蝗灾害的有效途径是贯彻“改治并举、根除蝗”的方针;加强蝗情监测;适时防治以及通过水利建设和农田开垦,改变飞蝗发生基地和生态条件等。     

Complete genome sequence of a street rabies virus isolated from a rabid dog in china

A rabies virus (RABV) was isolated from a dog in Anhui Province, China, in 2008. The virus was designated DRV-AH08. Its entire genome was sequenced and found to be closely related to RABV recently isolated in China and other Asian countries (homology of 87 to 98%) but distantly related to RABV in the "cosmopolitan" group (homology of 84 to 85%) in the clade I of RABV.     

苗药果上叶立地环境调查研究

对苗药果上叶生长立地环境、气候状况、土壤理化特性及蕴藏量进行研究,研究结果表明:果上叶垂直分布在海拔400～1 800 m范围内,生长在陡坡石灰岩地带,所匍匐生长的岩石坡度基本在70°以上,在阴坡或半阴坡,喜温暖、湿润的环境,果上叶生长地土壤有机质含量高,残土比达0.42,土壤的排水性和保水性较好,呈弱酸性至中性;果上叶生长在盐肤木、青杠树、马尾松、荚蒾等乔木及部分缠绕的藤本植物下面,与蕨类和苔藓伴生;果上叶资源蕴藏量很少,处于濒危的程度。