Determination of the Human Antibody Response to the Neutralization Epitopes Encompassing Amino Acids 313–327 and 432–443 of Hepatitis C Virus E1E2 Glycoproteins

It has been reported that monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to the E1E2 glycoproteins may have the potential to prevent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The protective epitopes targeted by these MAbs have been mapped to the regionsencompassing amino acids 313–327 and 432–443. In this study, we synthesized these two peptides and tested the reactivity of serum samples from 336 patients, 210 of whichwere from Chronic Hepatitis C (CHC) patients infected with diverse HCV genotypes.The remaining 126 samples were isolated from patients who had spontaneously clearedHCV infection.In the chronic HCV-infected group (CHC group), the prevalence of human serum antibodies reactive to epitopes 313–327 and 432–443was 24.29%(51 of 210) and4.76%(10 of 210),respectively. In thespontaneousclearance group (SC group),the prevalence was 0.79%(1 of 126) and 12.70%(16 of 126), respectively.The positive serum samples that contained antibodies reactive to epitope 313–327 neutralizedHCV pseudoparticles (HCVpp) bearing the envelope glycoproteins of genotypes 1a or 1b and/or 4, but genotypes 2a, 3a, 5 and 6 were not neutralized. The neutralizing activity of these serum samples could not be inhibited by peptide 313–327. Six samples (SC17, SC38, SC86, SC92, CHC75 and CHC198) containing antibodies reactive to epitope 432–443 had cross-genotype neutralizing activities. Theneutralizing activityof SC38, SC86, SC92 and CHC75waspartiallyinhibited by peptide 432–443. However,the neutralizing activity of sample SC17 for genotype 4HCVpp and sample CHC198 for genotype 1b HCVppwere notinhibited by the peptide.This study identifies the neutralizing ability of endogenous anti-HCV antibodies and warrants the exploration of antibodies reactive to epitope432–443as sources for future antibody therapies.     

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Ang-(1-7) in Ameliorating HFD-Induced Renal Injury through LDLr-SREBP2-SCAP Pathway

The angiotensin converting enzyme 2-angiotensin-(1–7)-Mas axis (ACE2-Ang-(1–7)-Mas axis) is reported to participate in lipid metabolism in kidney, but its precise effects and underlying mechanisms remain unknown. We hypothesized that Ang-(1–7) reduces lipid accumulation and improves renal injury through the low density lipoprotein receptor–sterol regulatory element binding proteins 2–SREBP cleavage activating protein (LDLr-SREBP2-SCAP) system by suppressing inflammation in high fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. In this study, male C57BL/6 mice were randomized into four groups: STD (standard diet)+saline, HFD+saline, HFD+Ang-(1–7) and STD+Ang-(1–7). After 10 weeks of feeding, mice were administered Ang-(1–7) or saline for two weeks. We found that high inflammation status induced by HFD disrupted the LDLr-SREBP2-SCAP feedback system. Treatment of mice fed a high-fat diet with Ang-(1–7) induced significant improvement in inflammatory status, following the downregulation of LDLr, SREBP2 and SCAP, and then, decreased lipid deposition in kidney and improved renal injury. In conclusion, the anti-inflammatory effect of Ang-(1–7) alleviates renal injury triggered by lipid metabolic disorders through a LDLr- SREBP2-SCAP pathway.     

Transcriptomes of Fruit Cavity Revealed by De Novo Sequence Analysis in Nai Plum (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus salicina</Emphasis>)

Nai plum (Prunus salicina) is an important fruit crop in China having good taste and flavour. Cavity formation occurring during fruit development affects fruit quality. However, the molecular mechanism underlying cavity formation is unclear. To obtain differential expression profiles of cavity fruit (CF) and non-cavity fruit (nCF) in P. salicina, we sequenced the fruits at different time intervals of 7 days after anthesis (DAA), 21 and 28 DAA, respectively, and 83,869 unigenes, 3811 differentially expressed genes, 22,971 simple sequence repeats and over 14,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms were obtained. Twenty-three differentially expressed genes were selected for verification by qRT-PCR. The contents of phytohormones during fruit development showed that there was a positive relevance between phytohormone contents (IAA, ZR and GA), fruit size and ABA contents in the fruits, whereas there was a negative correlation with ZR, GA and IAA. Lower GA content in fruit before 14 DAA and higher IAA and ZR levels during later developmental stages resulted in cavity appearance. Further studies showed that differential expression of phytohormone-related genes IPT, CKX, YUCCA, GA20ox, GID1, CCS1 was determined at key fruit development stages, which is consistent with content changes of IAA, GA, ABA and ZR. Our results suggest that ABA might inhibit the synthesis of IAA, ZR and GA and cause fruit cavity formation in Nai plum.     

Locating QTLs controlling overwintering seedling rate in perennial glutinous rice 89-1 (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oryza sativa</Emphasis> L.)

A new cold tolerant germplasm resource named glutinous rice 89-1 (Gr89-1, Oryza sativa L.) can overwinter using axillary buds, with these buds being ratooned the following year. The overwintering seedling rate (OSR) is an important factor for evaluating cold tolerance. Many quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling cold tolerance at different growth stages in rice have been identified, with some of these QTLs being successfully cloned. However, no QTLs conferring to the OSR trait have been located in the perennial O. sativa L. To identify QTLs associated with OSR and to evaluate cold tolerance. 286 F₁₂ recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between the cold tolerant variety Gr89-1 and cold sensitive variety Shuhui527 (SH527) were used. A total of 198 polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers that were distributed uniformly on 12 chromosomes were used to construct the linkage map. The gene ontology (GO) annotation of the major QTL was performed through the rice genome annotation project system. Three main-effect QTLs (qOSR2, qOSR3, and qOSR8) were detected and mapped on chromosomes 2, 3, and 8, respectively. These QTLs were located in the interval of RM14208 (35,160,202 base pairs (bp))–RM208 (35,520,147 bp), RM218 (8,375,236 bp)–RM232 (9,755,778 bp), and RM5891 (24,626,930 bp)–RM23608 (25,355,519 bp), and explained 19.6%, 9.3%, and 11.8% of the phenotypic variations, respectively. The qOSR2 QTL displayed the largest effect, with a logarithm of odds score (LOD) of 5.5. A total of 47 candidate genes on the qOSR2 locus were associated with 219 GO terms. Among these candidate genes, 11 were related to cell membrane, 7 were associated with cold stress, and 3 were involved in response to stress and biotic stimulus. OsPIP1;3 was the only one candidate gene related to stress, biotic stimulus, cold stress, and encoding a cell membrane protein. After QTL mapping, a total of three main-effect QTLs—qOSR2, qOSR3, and qOSR8—were detected on chromosomes 2, 3, and 8, respectively. Among these, qOSR2 explained the highest phenotypic variance. All the QTLs elite traits come from the cold resistance parent Gr89-1. OsPIP1;3 might be a candidate gene of qOSR2.     

Shinella oryzae sp. nov., a novel zearalenone-resistant bacterium isolated from rice paddy soil

A novel bacterium, designated Z-25 ^T, was isolated from a rice paddy rhizosphere soil sample from Wuchang County, China. The Z-25 ^T strain is gram-negative, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming, aerobic, motile by unipolar flagella and straw white in color. A phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain Z-25 belongs to the genus Shinella, and the closest members are Shinella zoogloeoides ATCC 19623 ^T with 98.58% similarity, S. kummerowiae CCBAU 25,048 T (98.03%) and S. granuli Ch06 ^T (97.37%). The average nucleotide identity and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain Z-25 ^T and the closest members were less than 85.29% and 28.70%, respectively. The predominant fatty acids were the sums of features comprising C_18:1 ω7c and/or C_18:1 ω6c (34.62%), C_18:1 ω7c -11-methyl (20.48%), and C_19:0 cyclo ω8c (18.19%). The only respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-10, and the major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. Additionally, a genome analysis showed that Z-25 ^T presented potential functional genes related to the degradation of zearalenone (ZEN). An HPLC analysis indicated that Z-25 ^T could remove 74.13% of 10 mg/L ZEN after 144 h at 30 °C. Therefore, based on phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, phylogenetic and genotypic analyses, strain Z-25 ^T represents a novel species in the genus Shinella, for which the name Shinella oryzae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Z-25 ^T (=?GDMCC 1.2424 ^T?=?KCTC 82660 ^T).

     

Alleviative effects of nitric oxide on Vigna radiata seedlings under acidic rain stress

Molecular Biology Reports - Although nitric oxide (NO) is a key regulatory molecule in plants, its function in plants under conditions of simulated acid rain (SAR) has not been fully established...     

莲属植物类黄酮代谢产物的研究进展

莲属(Nelumbo)植物既可药用也可食用, 其中荷叶、藕节、莲子、莲子心、莲房和莲须等皆可入药, 但药效各不相同。迄今为止, 从莲的各组织中共检测出类黄酮多达61个, 包括8个花青素苷、2个黄酮醇、29个黄酮醇苷、1个黄酮、16个黄酮苷(内含13个碳苷黄酮)和5个黄烷醇。该文对莲各组织中所含类黄酮的检测方法、组成、含量及药理等方面的研究进展进行了综述。迄今的研究结果表明, 莲中含有丰富的类黄酮化合物, 且具广泛的药理活性(如抗氧化、抗菌、抗HIV、抗动脉粥样化、提高免疫力和减肥降脂等)。这些资料不仅对今后深入研究莲各部位的类黄酮代谢物及其与药效的关系有重要意义, 而且对保健食品和中药的研发也具有重要的参考价值。     

An improved route to the synthetic of diphenyl alpha-(diethoxythiophosphorylamino)methylphosphonates

An improved method for the synthesis of Diphenyl alpha-(diethoxythiophosphorylamino)methylphosphonates under mild conditions is described. It consists of the reaction of diethyl thiophosphoramidate (1) with triphenyl phosphite (3) and a substituted benzylaldehyde or ketone (2) by a one-pot procedure with the aid of acetyl chloride.