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Ecological surveys observe coral “winners” and “losers” in global coral bleaching events. However, the key contributors to holobiont tolerance and interactions between symbionts remain unclear. Herein, we compared bleaching and unbleaching Acropora pruinosa corals from Weizhou Island, during an extreme high-temperature event in the northern South China Sea in 2020. We found the dominant Symbiodiniaceae subclade in the bleaching and unbleaching corals to be C1; however, the density of Symbiodiniaceae in the latter was significantly higher than that in the former. Additionally, the symbiotic bacteria α diversity in the unbleaching coral was significantly higher than that in the bleaching coral, with a reorganized bacterial community structure. Core microbiome analyses revealed 55 bacterial core operational taxonomic units (OTUs), of which 10 were significantly differentially enriched between the two coral groups. The significantly enriched bacterial core OTUs in the unbleaching coral were primarily nitrogen cycling related, while those enriched in the bleaching coral were associated with antimicrobial activity. RNA-Seq analyses revealed that significantly upregulated genes in the bleaching coral were primarily associated with diseases and autophagy, while those in the unbleaching coral were associated with immune defense and maintenance of the symbiotic relationship between corals and symbionts. We propose that the differences in tolerance of A. pruinosa result from the cooperation between coral host, Symbiodiniaceae, and symbiotic bacteria. In extreme high-temperature events, unbleaching corals may maintain stable symbiotic relationships by increasing the diversity of symbiotic bacteria, regulating the structure of the symbiotic bacteria community, improving the interaction between coral host and symbiont and enhancing host immunity, thus avoiding coral bleaching. This study illuminates the relationship between the coral symbiont and tolerance differences of coral holobionts, providing new insights for further exploration into the adaptability of scleractinian corals in the context of global warming.

Environmental conditions between the outer reef slope (ORS) and lagoon in tropical atolls are significantly different, but the variations of juvenile coral-microbiomes in the two environments and their relationship with coral thermal acclimatization are poorly understood. We explored this issue based on local water conditions and the microbiome of juvenile corals in the ORS and lagoon in the central South China Sea. Coral-symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae showed significant differences among coral species; Pocillopora verrucosa and Pachyseris rugosa in the ORS, and Acropora formosa in the lagoon were dominated by Durusdinium, but other corals were dominated by Cladocopium. Although A. formosa in the ORS were dominated by Cladocopium (C3u), they were dominated by Durusdinium (D1/D1a) and Cladocopium (C50) in the lagoon. Other coral species were both dominated by Cladocopium in the lagoon and ORS. The relative abundance of bacteria in the Deinococcus-Thermus was generally higher in the lagoon corals than in the ORS corals. Our study indicates that P. verrucosa, P. rugosa and Porites lutea may have high thermal tolerance based on the relatively high abundance of heat-tolerant Durusdinium and Thermus scotoductus. Likewise, A. formosa in the lagoon may acclimatize to the thermal environment based on a high relative abundance of heat-tolerant Durusdinium.

As one of the CO2 capture and utilization technologies, Li-CO2 batteries have attracted special interest in the application of carbon neutral. However, the design and fabrication of a low-cost high-efficiency cathode catalyst for reversible Li2CO3 formation and decomposition remains challenging. Here, guided by theoretical calculations, CO2 was utilized to activate the catalytic activity of conventional nitrogen-doped graphene, in which pyridinic-N and pyrrolic-N have a high total content (72.65%) and have a high catalytic activity in both CO2 reduction and evolution reactions, thus activating the reversible conversion of Li2CO3 formation and decomposition. As a result, the designed cathode has a low voltage gap of 2.13 V at 1200 mA g-1 and long-life cycling stability with a small increase in the voltage gap of 0.12 V after 170 cycles at 500 mA g-1. Our work suggests a way to design metal-free catalysts with high activity that can be used to activate the performance of Li-CO2 batteries.

Object High targeting and efficient cytotoxicity toward tumor cells endow NPs excellent anti-tumor activity. Herein, a peptide polymer possessing dual-targeting ability and double therapeutic activity was developed and named TGMF, which can form NPs through self-assembly. It is composed of four functional modules: 1) Active targeting peptide TMTP1 (T) deliver NPs to tumors specifically; 2) Therapeutic peptide GO-203 (G), which can significantly inhibit tumor growth by disrupting the redox balance in cells; 3) A passively targeted enzyme-responsive peptide PLGLGA (M), which can be cleaved specifically by metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) highly expressed in the tumor microenvironment (TME); and 4) Hexadecyl (F), which has strong hydrophobicity, can promote the self-assembly of TGMF NPs. Methods Five modular peptide probes, namely, TGF, TMF, TGM, GMF, and TGMF were synthesized and self-assembled into NPs in solution. The characterization, enzyme reactivity, and cytotoxicity of NPs were evaluated in vitro, and the pharmacokinetics, bio-distribution, anti-tumor activity of NPs were investigated in vivo. In addition, transcriptome sequencing identified the intracellular signaling pathway-related genes involved in the anti-tumor effect of TGMF. Results Upon enzyme cleavage, two types of nanostructure, NPs and nanofibers (NFs), were detected under TEM. Moreover, the cytotoxicity and anti-invasion activity of TGMF against tumor cells used were strongest among the five modular probes examined in vitro. TGMF increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in cytoplasm and produced numerous NFs in extracellular interval and intracellular space. Transcriptome sequencing revealed that TGMF caused 446 genes' down-regulation and 270 genes' up-regulation in HeLa cells. In vivo, TGMF has a good anti-tumor effect, effectively prolonging the survival time of HeLa-tumor-bearing mice without systemic side effects. Conclusion Integration of multiple functional modules into NPs could be a promising strategy for the future of nanomedicine design towards tumor treatment.

Exploitation of stimuli-responsive nanoplatforms is of great value for precise and efficient cancer theranostics. Herein, an in situ activable “nanocluster-bomb” detonated by endogenous overexpressing legumain is fabricated for contrast-enhanced tumor imaging and controlled gene/drug release. By utilizing the functional peptides as bioligands, TAMRA-encircled gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) endowed with targeting, positively charged and legumain-specific domains are prepared as quenched building blocks due to the AuNCs' nanosurface energy transfer (NSET) effect on TAMRA. Importantly, the AuNCs can shelter therapeutic cargos of DNAzyme and Dox (Dzs-Dox) to aggregate larger nanoparticles as a “nanocluster-bomb” (AuNCs/Dzs-Dox), which could be selectively internalized into cancer cells by integrin-mediated endocytosis and in turn locally hydrolyzed in the lysosome with the aid of legumain. A “bomb-like” behavior including “spark-like” appearance (fluorescence on) derived from the diminished NSET effect of AuNCs and cargo release (disaggregation) of Dzs-Dox is subsequently monitored. The results showed that the AuNC-based disaggregation manner of the “nanobomb” triggered by legumain significantly improved the imaging contrast due to the activable mechanism and the enhanced cellular uptake of AuNCs. Meanwhile, the in vitro cytotoxicity tests revealed that the detonation strategy based on AuNCs/Dzs-Dox readily achieved efficient gene/chemo combination therapy. Moreover, the super efficacy of combinational therapy was further demonstrated by treating a xenografted MDA-MB-231 tumor model in vivo. We envision that our multipronged design of theranostic “nanocluster-bomb” with endogenous stimuli-responsiveness provides a novel strategy and great promise in the application of high contrast imaging and on-demand drug delivery for precise cancer theranostics., An in situ activable “nanocluster-bomb” detonated by endogenous overexpressing legumain is fabricated for contrast enhanced cancer imaging and effective gene/chemo-therapy.

Nanoparticle drug delivery system (NDDS) is quite different from the widely studied traditional chemotherapy which suffers from drug resistance and side effect. NDDS offers the straightforward solution to the chemotherapy problem and provides an opportunity to monitor the drug delivery process in real time. In this vein, we developed one NDDS, namely Py-TPE/siRNA@PMP, to relieve resistance and side effects during chemotherapy against ovarian cancer. The Py-TPE/siRNA@PMP is a multifunctional polymeric nanoparticle contained several parts as follows: (1) a nanoparticle (NP) self-assembled by reduction-sensitive paclitaxel polymeric prodrug (PMP); (2) the glutathione (GSH)-responsive release of paclitaxel (PTX) for the suppression of ovarian cancer cells; (3) the P-glycoprotein (P-gp) siRNA for restoring the sensitivity of chemo-resistant tumor cells to chemotherapy; (4) the positively charged aggregation-induced emission fluorogen (AIEgen) Py-TPE for tumor imaging and promoting encapsulation of siRNA into the nanoparticle. Methods: The Py-TPE/siRNA@PMP nanoparticles were prepared by self-assembly method and characterized by the UV-Vis absorption spectra, zeta potentials, TEM image, stability assay and hydrodynamic size distributions. The combinational therapeutic effects of Py-TPE/siRNA@PMP on overcoming chemotherapy resistance were explored both in vitro and in vivo. Result: The Py-TPE/siRNA@PMP exhibited an average hydrodynamic size with a good stability. Meanwhile they gave rise to the remarkable chemotoxicity performances in vitro and suppressed the tumors growth in both SKOV-3/PTX (PTX resistance) subcutaneous and intraperitoneal metastasis tumor models. The investigations on ovarian cancer patient-derived xenografts (PDX) model revealed that Py-TPE/siRNA@PMP was able to effectively overcome their chemo-resistance with minimal side effects. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated the Py-TPE/siRNA@PMP as a promising agent for the highly efficient treatment of PTX-resistant cells and overcoming the shortage of chemotherapy in ovarian cancer.

Background and purpose Autophagy is the main protective mechanism against aging in podocytes, which are terminally differentiated cells that have a very limited capacity for mitosis and self-renewal. Here, a streptozotocin-induced DN C57BL/6 mouse model was used to investigate the effects of puerarin on the modulation of autophagy under conditions associated with endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). In addition, this study aimed to identify the potential underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods and results DN C57BL/6 mouse model was induced by streptozotocin (150 mg/kg) injection. The mice were administered rapamycin and puerarin, respectively, daily for up to 8 weeks. After the serum and kidney samples were collected, the fasting blood glucose (FBG), parameters of renal function, histomorphology, and the podocyte functional proteins were analyzed. Moreover, the autophagy markers and the expressions of PERK/ATF4 pathway were studied in kidney. Results found that the FBG level in DN mice was significantly higher than in normal mice. Compared with DN model mice, puerarin-treated mice showed an increased expression of podocyte functional proteins, including nephrin, podocin, and podocalyxin. Furthermore, the pathology and structure alterations were improved by treatment with rapamycin and puerarin compared with the DN control. The results indicated an elevated level of autophagy in rapamycin and puerarin groups compared with the DN model, as demonstrated by the upregulated expression of autophagy markers Beclin-1, LC3II, and Atg5, and downregulated p62 expression. In addition, the levels of PERK, eIF2α, and ATF4 were reduced in the DN model, which was partially, but significantly, prevented by rapamycin and puerarin. Conclusion This study emphasizes the renal-protective effects of puerarin in DN mice, particularly in the modulation of autophagy under ERS conditions, which may be associated with activation of the PERK/eIF2α/ATF4 signaling pathway. Therefore, PERK may be a potential target for DN treatment.

Background/aims To investigate the effect and the possible mechanism of lanthanum citrate on the proliferation and apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line SMMC-7721 through the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway. Materials and methods Different concentrations of lanthanum citrate and KAAD-cyclopamine (the Hh signaling pathway representative inhibitor) were used to treat SMMC-7721 cells. Cell proliferation was detected using Methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. Cell apoptosis was detected using flow cytometry analysis of Annexin V-FITC/ propidium iodide (PI). The protein expressions of regulatory genes, such as cell cycle protein D1 (CyclinD1), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1 (p21), cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase 3 (Caspase-3), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (Gli1), and sonic hedgehog (Shh) were quantified using Western blot assays. The mRNA expressions of Gli1 and Shh were tested using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays and the protein expressions of Gli1 and Shh were determined using immunofluorescence assays. Results The Annexin V-FITC and PI double staining results revealed that the 0.1 mM lanthanum citrate group and the 15 µM KAAD-cyclopamine group had both increased the apoptosis rate of SMMC-7721 cells. Both lanthanum citrate and KAAD-cyclopamine downregulated the protein expressions of CyclinD1, Bcl-2, Gli1, and Shh and upregulated the protein expressions of p21 and Caspase-3. Additionally, the immunofluorescence results revealed that the protein expressions of Gli1 and Shh were significantly decreased in both the lanthanum citrate group and the KAAD-cyclopamine group compared to the control group. Conclusion Lanthanum citrate inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis in HCC SMMC-7721 cells by suppressing the Hh signaling pathway.

A Gram-stain-negative, non-spore-forming, aerobic, motile, curved rod-shaped bacterium, designed strain R148T was isolated from a coralline algae Tricleocarpa sp. collected from Weizhou island, PR China. The optimal growth of R148T occurred at 25 °C, pH 8–9 in the presence of 0.5 % (w/v) NaCl on the basis of amended marine broth 2216. The genomic DNA G+C content was 59.5 mol%. The only detected respiratory quinone was Q-10. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, and three unidentified ninhydrin-positive lipids. The major cellular fatty acids were C18 : 1ω7c, C16 : 1ω7c, C19 : 0cyclo 9, 10 DMA and C18 : 0. The results of 16S rRNA gene-based global alignment indicated that the closest neighbour of strain R148T was Pelagibius litoralis DSM 21314T (93.1 % similarity), the second is Limibacillus halophilus KCTC 42420T (92.2 %). The results of phylogenetic analysis indicated that R148T forms a distinct branch in the robust clade of R148T and P. litoralis DSM 21314T, while the taxonomic position of this clade in the family Rhodospirillaceae is ambiguous among phylogenetic approaches. The low 16S rRNA gene similarity and distinct polar lipid and cellular fatty acid profile could readily distinguish R148T from closely related type strains. So R148T is suggested to represent a novel species in a novel genus, for which the name Denitrobaculum tricleocarpae gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is R148T (=MCCC 1K03781T=KCTC 72137T).

Ralstonia solanacearum is an extremely destructive and rebellious phytopathogen that can cause bacterial wilt diseases in more than 200 plant species. To explore and discover the potential targets in R. solanacearum for the purpose of developing new agrochemicals targeting this infection, here, we exploited a typical activity-based protein profiling technique for target discovery in R. solanacearum based on an activity-based probe 1 derived from bioactive oxadiazole sulfones. A total of 65 specific targets were identified with high confidence through a quantitative chemical proteomic approach. Three representative proteins (glycine cleavage system H protein, thiol peroxidase, and dihydrolipoamide S-succinyltransferase) were validated as the targets by using the immunoblotting analysis with their respective antibodies. Additionally, the in vitro interaction between the recombinant thiol peroxidase and probe 1 further confirmed that this protein was a target of oxadiazole sulfones. We anticipated that these discovered protein targets in R. solanacearum can stimulate the discovery and development of novel agrochemicals targeting bacterial infections caused by R. solanacearum.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have documented that searching for wastewaters with appropriate nutrient profiles to cultivate microalgae directly was an effective measure to reduce the cost of algae cultivation. In this work, wastewaters collected from different processing units of the silk industry were used to cultivate Chlorella sorokiniana directly or after preliminary pretreatment for producing algal biomass and removing nutrients. RESULTS: The data showed that C. sorokiniana could grow on reeling wastewater and cooking cocoon wastewater with a maximum biomass of 0.26 and 0.49 g L⁻¹, respectively, but could not grow on frigon wastewater because of high salinity and turbidity. Furthermore, the binary mixed wastewaters were used to cultivate this alga, which were mixed according to the algal nutritional requirements. Results indicated that the highest algal biomass (0.56 g L⁻¹), and total nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiencies (71.7% and 97.1%) were obtained when frigon wastewater was diluted with reeling wastewater (v/v) at a dilution multiple of eight, which was used as the algal culture media. Additionally, contents of protein, lipids, carbohydrates, and pigments in the algal cells varied with the changes in nutrient profiles of wastewaters. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that (i) reeling wastewater and cooking cocoon wastewater were rich in nutrients for the growth of C. sorokiniana, which could be used as algal culture medium directly; and (ii) growing C. sorokiniana on mixed wastewaters could enhance biomass production and nutrient removal. Thus, the silk industry wastewaters could be considered as suitable media to cultivate microalgae directly or by simply mixing. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry

FOXO3 belongs to the Forkhead O transcription factor family and it is an important gene in multiple biological processes, such as cell cycle control, cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, human longevity, and oxidative stress. Previous studies have shown that FOXO3 is associated with skeletal muscle growth and adipose development in mammals. However, the sequence of chicken FOXO3 is still incomplete and the cellular functions of FOXO3 in chickens are poorly understood. Thus, we obtained the full-length sequence of chicken FOXO3 by 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (5' RACE) and the phylogenetic tree showed that the chicken FOXO3 sequence was homologous with those in other species. Flow cytometry analysis and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assays showed that FOXO3 repressed cellular proliferation and induced apoptosis in a chicken hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (LMH). Mutations were screened in the second exon of FOXO3 and 13 synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms were found in the test population. Further analysis showed that rs317670452 and rs15379317 were associated with many growth and carcass traits, such as the body weight at different ages and breast muscle weight. Our results indicate that chicken FOXO3 has similar cellular functions to those found in mammals and it is significantly associated with chicken growth.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) have been reported to be closely associated with numerous human diseases, including cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). However, the number of miRNAs known to be involved in CCA is limited, and the association between miR-132-3p and CCA remains unknown. In the present study, the clinical role of miR-132-3p and its potential signaling pathways were investigated by multiple approaches. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), CCA-associated Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), ArrayExpress and Sequence Read Archive (SRA) miRNA-microarray or miRNA-sequencing data were screened, and meta-analyses were conducted, in order to calculate the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and standardized mean difference (SMD). The predicted target genes of miR-132-3p were obtained from 12 online databases and were combined with the downregulated differentially expressed genes identified in the RNA-sequencing data of CCA. Gene Ontology annotation and pathway analysis were performed in WebGestalt. Protein-protein interaction analyses were conducted in STRING. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) mRNA expression profiles were used to validate the expression levels of hub genes at the mRNA level. The Human Protein Atlas was used to identify the protein expression levels of hub genes in CCA tissues and non-tumor biliary epithelium. The meta-analyses comprised 10 groups of RT-qPCR data, eight GEO microarray datasets and one TCGA miRNA-sequencing dataset. The SMD of miR-132-3p in CCA was 0.75 (95% CI: 0.25, 1.24), which indicated that miR-132-3p was overexpressed in CCA tissues. This finding was supported by a summary ROC value of 0.80 (95% CI: 0.76, 0.83). The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.81 (95% CI: 0.59, 0.93) and 0.71 (95% CI: 0.58, 0.81), respectively. The relative expression level of miR-132-3p in the early stage of CCA (stages I–II) was 6.8754±0.5279, which was markedly lower than that in the advanced stage (stages III–IVB), 7.3034±0.3267 (P=0.003). Consistently, the miR-132-3p level in low-grade CCA (grades G1-G2) was 6.7581±0.5297, whereas it was 7.1191±0.4651 in patients with high-grade CCA (grades G3-G4) (P=0.037). Furthermore, 555 potential target genes of miR-132-3p in CCA were mainly enriched in the ‘Focal Adhesion-PI3K-Akt-mTOR-signaling pathway’. In conclusion, upregulation of miR-132-3p may serve a pivotal role in the tumorigenesis and progression of CCA by targeting different pathways. Further in vitro and in vivo studies are required to support the current findings.

This study aimed to compare the fecal microbiome and antimicrobial resistance between captive and free-range sika deer with the same exposure to antibiotic anthelmintics. The taxonomic differences mainly involved significant changes in the dominant phyla, genera, and species. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis revealed that 22 taxa were significantly different between the two groups. The KEGG analysis showed that the fecal microbiome metabolic function, and all level 2 categories in metabolism had higher abundance in the free-range deer. Based on the carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZy) database analysis, glycoside hydrolases and carbohydrate-binding modules showed remarkable differences between the two groups. Regarding antibiotic resistance, tetQ and lnuC dominated the antibiotic resistance ontology (ARO) terms, and tetracycline and lincosamide resistance dominated the antimicrobial resistance patterns. Furthermore, the lnuC, ErmF, and tetW/N/W AROs and lincosamide resistance showed higher abundance in the captive deer, suggesting that captivity may yield more serious resistance issues because of the differences in greenfeed diet, breeding density, and/or housing environment. The results also revealed important associations between the phylum Proteobacteria, genus Prevotella, and major antibiotic resistance genes. Although the present study was a pilot study with a limited sample size that was insufficient control for some potential factors, it serves as the metagenomic study on the microbial communities and antimicrobial resistance in sika deer. IMPORTANCE We used a metagenomic approach to investigate whether and how captive and free-range impact the microbial communities and antimicrobial resistance in sika deer. The results provide solid evidence of the significant impacts on the microbial composition and function in captive and free-range sika deer. Interestingly, although the sika deer had the same exposure to antibiotic anthelmintics, the antimicrobial resistances were affected by the breeding environment.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in numerous cellular processes. Increasing evidence suggests that some lncRNAs function in immunity through various complex mechanisms. However, implication of a large fraction of lncRNAs in antiviral innate immunity remains uncharacterized. Here, we identified an lncRNA called lncRNA IFITM4P that was transcribed from interferon-induced transmembrane protein 4 pseudogene (IFITM4P), a pseudogene belonging to the interferon-induced transmembrane protein (IFITM) family. We found that expression of lncRNA IFITM4P was significantly induced by infection with several viruses, including influenza A virus (IAV). Importantly, lncRNA IFITM4P acted as a positive regulator of innate antiviral immunity. Ectopic expression of lncRNA IFITM4P significantly suppressed IAV replication in vitro, whereas IFITM4P deficiency promoted viral production. We further observed that expression of lncRNA IFITM4P was upregulated by interferon (IFN) signaling during viral infection, and altering the expression of this lncRNA had significant effects on the mRNA levels of several IFITM family members, including IFITM1, IFITM2, and IFITM3. Moreover, lncRNA IFITM4P was identified as a target of the microRNA miR-24-3p, which represses mRNA of IFITM1, IFITM2, and IFITM3. The experiments demonstrated that lncRNA IFITM4P was able to cross-regulate the expression of IFITM family members as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA), leading to increased stability of these IFITM mRNAs. Together, our results reveal that lncRNA IFITM4P, as a ceRNA, is involved in innate immunity against viral infection through the lncRNA IFITM4P–miR-24-3p–IFITM1/2/3 regulatory network. IMPORTANCE lncRNAs play important roles in various biological processes, but their involvement in host antiviral responses remains largely unknown. In this study, we revealed that the pseudogene IFITM4P belonging to the IFITM family can transcribe a functional long noncoding RNA termed lncRNA IFITM4P. Importantly, results showed that lncRNA IFITM4P was involved in innate antiviral immunity, which resembles some interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). Furthermore, lncRNA IFITM4P was identified as a target of miR-24-3p and acts as a ceRNA to inhibit the replication of IAV through regulating the mRNA levels of IFITM1, IFITM2, and IFITM3. These data provide new insight into the role of a previously uncharacterized lncRNA encoded by a pseudogene in the host antiviral response and a better understanding of the IFITM antiviral network.

As the problem of ocean warming worsens, the environmental adaptation potential of symbiotic Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria is directly related to the future and fate of corals. This study aimed to analyse the comprehensive community dynamics and physiology of these two groups of organisms in the coral Pocillopora sp. through indoor simulations of heat stress (which involved manually adjusting the temperature between both 26 °C and 34 °C). Heat treatment (≥30 °C) significantly reduced the abundance of Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria by more than 70%. After the temperature was returned to 26 °C for one month, the Symbiodiniaceae density was still low, while the absolute number of bacteria quickly recovered to 55% of that of the control. At this time point, the Fv/Fm value rose to 91% of the pretemperature value. The content of chlorophyll b associated with Cyanobacteria increased by 50% compared with that under the control conditions. Moreover, analysis of the Symbiodiniaceae subclade composition suggested that the relative abundance of C1c.C45, C1, and C1ca increased during heat treatment, indicating that they might constitute heat-resistant subgroups. We suggest that the increase in the absolute number of bacteria during the recovery period could be an important indicator of coral holobiont recovery after heat stress. This study provides insight into the cross-linked regulation of key symbiotic microbes in the coral Pocillopora sp. during high-temperature stress and recovery and provides a scientific basis for exploring the mechanism underlying coral adaptation to global warming.

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4B (eIF4B) plays an important role in mRNA translation initiation, cell survival and proliferation in vitro. However, its function in vivo is poorly understood. Here, we identified that eIF4B knockout (KO) in mice led to embryonic lethality, and the embryos displayed severe liver damage. Conditional KO (CKO) of eIF4B in adulthood profoundly increased the mortality of mice, characterized by severe pathological changes in several organs and reduced number of peripheral blood lymphocytes. Strikingly, eIF4B CKO mice were highly susceptible to viral infection with severe pulmonary inflammation. Selective deletion of eIF4B in lung epithelium also markedly promoted replication of influenza A virus (IAV) in the lung of infected animals. Furthermore, we observed that eIF4B deficiency significantly enhanced the expression of several important inflammation-associated factors and chemokines, including serum amyloid A1 (Saa1), Marco, Cxcr1, Ccl6, Ccl8, Ccl20, Cxcl2, Cxcl17 that are implicated in recruitment and activation of neutrophiles and macrophages. Moreover, the eIF4B-deficient mice exhibited impaired natural killer (NK) cell-mediated cytotoxicity during the IAV infection. Collectively, the results reveal that eIF4B is essential for mouse survival and host antiviral responses, and establish previously uncharacterized roles for eIF4B in regulating normal animal development and antiviral immunity in vivo.

Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV), a Fijivirus in the Reoviridae family, is transmitted by the white-backed planthopper (Sogatella furcifera, WBPH), a long-distance migratory insect, and presents a serious threat to rice production in Asia. It was first discovered in China’s Guangdong Province in 2001 and has been endemic in the south of China and north of Vietnam for two decades, with serious outbreaks in 2009, 2010, and 2017. In this study, we evaluated the resistance of 10 dominant rice varieties from southern China, where the virus overwinters and accumulates as a source of early spring reinfection, against this virus by artificial inoculation. The results showed that in all tested varieties there was no immune resistance, but there were differences in the infection rate, with incidence rates from 21% to 90.7%, and in symptom severity, with plant weight loss from 66.71% to 91.20% and height loss from 34.1% to 65.06%. Additionally, and valuably, the virus titer and the insect vector virus acquisition potency from diseased plants were significantly different among the varieties: an over sixfold difference was determined between resistant and susceptible varieties, and there was a positive correlation between virus accumulation and insect vector virus acquisition. The results can provide a basis for the selection of rice varieties in southern China to reduce the damage of SRBSDV in this area and to minimize the reinfection source and epidemics of the virus in other rice-growing areas.

Rice stripe mosaic disease (RSMD) is caused by the rice stripe mosaic virus (RSMV; genus Cytorhabdovirus, family Rhabdoviridae). In recent years, significant progress has been made in understanding several aspects of the disease, especially its geographical distribution, symptoms, vectors, gene functions, and control measures. Since RSMD was first detected in southern China in 2015, it has been found in more and more rice growing areas and has become one of the most important rice diseases in southern China. RSMV is transmitted by the leafhopper Recilia dorsalis in a persistent-propagative manner, inducing yellow stripes, a slight distortion of leaves, increased tillers, and empty grains in rice plants. The virus has a negative-sense single-strand RNA genome of about 12.7 kb that encodes seven proteins: N, P, P3, M, G, P6, and L. Several molecular and serological tests have been developed to detect RSMV in plants and insects. The disease cycle can be described as follows: RSMV and its vector overwinter in infected plants; viruliferous R. dorsalis adults transmit the virus to spring rice and lay eggs on the infected seedlings; the next generation of R. dorsalis propagate on infected seedlings, become viruliferous, disperse, and cause new disease outbreaks. Control measures include monitoring and accurate forecasting, selecting disease-resistant varieties, improving cultivation systems, covering rice seedling nurseries with insect-proof nets, and using pesticides rationally. Inappropriate cultivation systems, pesticide overuse, and climatic conditions contribute to epidemics by affecting the development of vector insects and their population dynamics.

Keratin 18 (KRT18), one of the most abundant keratins in epithelial and endothelial cells, has been reported to be aberrantly expressed in many malignancies and extensively regarded as a biomarker and important regulator in multiple cancers, including gastric cancer (GC). But the molecular regulatory mechanisms of KRT18 in GC patients and cells are largely unknown. In the present study, we analyzed the expression level of KRT18 in 450 stomach adenocarcinoma tissue samples from TCGA database and found a significantly higher expression level in tumor tissues. We then explored the potential functions of KRT18 in AGS cells (human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line) by KRT18 knockdown using siRNA and whole transcriptome RNA-seq analysis. Notably, KRT18 selectively regulates expression of cell proliferation and apoptotic genes. Beyond this, KRT18 affects the alternative splicing of genes enriched in apoptosis, cell cycle, and other cancer-related pathways, which were then validated by reverse transcription–quantitative polymerase chain reaction approach. We validated KRT18-KD promoted apoptosis and inhibited proliferation in AGS cells. We then used RNA-seq data of GC samples to further demonstrate the modulation of KRT18 on alternative splicing regulation. These results together support the conclusion that KRT18 extensively modulates diverse alternative splicing events of genes enriched in proliferation and apoptosis processes. And the dysregulated splicing factors at transcriptional or posttranscriptional level by KRT18 may contribute to the alternative splicing change of many genes, which expands the functional importance of keratins in apoptotic and cell cycle pathways at the posttranscriptional level in GC.

Ducks are an important source of meat and egg products for human beings. In China, duck breeding has gradually changed from the traditional floor-water combination system to multilayer cage breeding. Therefore, the present study collected the hypothalamus and pituitary of 113-day-old ducks after being caged for 3 days, in order to investigate the effect of cage-rearing on the birds. In addition, the same tissues (hypothalamus and pituitary) were collected from ducks raised in the floor-water combination system, for comparison. Thereafter, the transcriptomes were sequenced and the expression level of genes were compared. The results of sequencing analysis showed that a total of 506 and 342 genes were differentially expressed in the hypothalamus and pituitary, respectively. Additionally, the differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in signaling pathways involved in processing environmental information, including ECM-receptor interaction, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction and focal adhesion. The findings also showed that there was a change in the alternative splicing of genes when ducks were transferred into the cage rearing system. However, there was no difference in the expression of some genes although there was a change in the expression of the isoforms of these genes. The findings herein can therefore help in understanding the mechanisms underlying the effect of caging on waterfowl. The results also highlight the gene regulatory networks involved in animal responses to acute stress.

Influenza A virus (IAV), a highly infectious respiratory pathogen, remains a major threat to global public health. Numerous long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to be implicated in various cellular processes. Here, we identified a new lncRNA termed RIG-I-dependent IAV-upregulated noncoding RNA (RDUR), which was induced by infections with IAV and several other viruses. Both in vitro and in vivo studies revealed that robust expression of host RDUR induced by IAV was dependent on the RIG-I/NF-κB pathway. Overexpression of RDUR suppressed IAV replication and downregulation of RDUR promoted the virus replication. Deficiency of mouse RDUR increased virus production in lungs, body weight loss, acute organ damage and consequently reduced survival rates of mice, in response to IAV infection. RDUR impaired the viral replication by upregulating the expression of several vital antiviral molecules including interferons (IFNs) and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). Further study showed that RDUR interacted with ILF2 and ILF3 that were required for the efficient expression of some ISGs such as IFITM3 and MX1. On the other hand, we found that while NF-κB positively regulated the expression of RDUR, increased expression of RDUR, in turn, inactivated NF-κB through a negative feedback mechanism to suppress excessive inflammatory response to viral infection. Together, the results demonstrate that RDUR is an important lncRNA acting as a critical regulator of innate immunity against the viral infection.

The limited number of agrochemicals targeting plant bacterial diseases has driven us to develop highly efficient, low-cost, and versatile antibacterial alternatives. Herein, a novel type of simple furan-functionalized quinazolin-4-amines was systematically fabricated and screened for their antibacterial activity. Bioassay results revealed that compounds C1 and E4 could substantially block the growth of two frequently mentioned pathogens Xanthomonas oryzae pv oryzae and X. axonopodis pv citri in vitro, displaying appreciable EC50 values of 7.13 and 10.3 mg/L, respectively. This effect was prominently improved by comparing those of mainly used agrochemicals. An in vivo experiment against bacterial blight further illustrated their viable applications as antimicrobial ingredients. Quantitative proteomics demonstrated that C1 possessed a remarkable ability to manipulate the upregulation and downregulation of expressed proteins, which probably involved d-glucose and biotin metabolic pathways. This finding was substantially verified by parallel reaction monitoring analysis. Scanning electron microscopy images and fluorescence spectra also indicated that the designed compounds had versatile capacities for destroying the integrity of bacteria. Given these remarkable characteristics, furan-functionalized quinazoline hybrids can serve as a viable platform for developing innovative antibiotic alternatives against bacterial infections.

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A2 (EIF5A2) is an essential protein closely related to cellular polyamine homeostasis. It is the only cellular protein that contains the unusual amino acid hypusine [Nɛ-(4-amino-2-hydroxybutyl) lysine] which is necessary for the biochemical activity of EIF5A2 and cellular proliferation. In this study, we aim to characterize chicken EIF5A2 and explore its potential effects on skeletal muscle cell proliferation and differentiation. Here, we found that chicken EIF5A2 has four variant transcripts. The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 5′-flanking region of EIF5A2 were significantly associated with the chicken growth and fatness traits. Expression pattern of EIF5A2 in skeletal muscle revealed that it was highly expressed at an early embryonic age and then decreased sharply after d 15 of the embryonic age. The luciferase reporter assays confirmed that EIF5A2 was directly targeted by miRNA-223. EIF5A2 was negatively regulated by miR-223 in myoblast. Both 5-Ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine staining assays and flow cytometry analyses of the cell cycle showed that down-regulation of EIF5A2 could markedly inhibit myoblast proliferation. We found that down-regulation of EIF5A2 could promote myoblast differentiation through promoting the expression of Myogenin (MYOG). MYOG is a muscle-specific transcription factor involved in myogenesis. Altogether, the results indicated that EIF5A2 is an important candidate gene in chicken growth, and down-regulation of EIF5A2 could suppress myoblast proliferation and promote myoblast differentiation by targeting miR-223.

A Gram-stain-negative, non-spore-forming, motile, aerobic, curved rod shaped bacterium, designed strain C51T, was isolated from coral (genus Porites) sampled at Weizhou Island, China. The optimal growth occurred in 2-3 % NaCl (w/v), at 25 °C and pH 8. Phylogenetic analyses based on the 16S rRNA gene, the gyrB gene and the Up-to-date Bacterial Core Gene set (92 genes) indicated that strain C51T forms a stable cluster with Shewanella spongiae KCTC 22492T, and had 94 % 16S rRNA gene similarity to its closest type strain S. spongiae KCTC 22492T. The only detected respiratory quinone was Q-8 and it could not produce menaquinone. The genome DNA G+C content was 40.1 mol%. The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C11:0 3-OH, iso-C15:0, C16:0, C16:1ω7c/ω6c, C18:0 and iso-C13:0 3-OH. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, three unidentified aminolipids and three unidentified polar lipids. Its low genome DNA G+C content, lack of an aminolipid and a difference in its substrate oxidation ability indicated that strain C51T should represent a new species. Furthermore, its distinct phylogeny, Shewanella-specific FISH probe SHEW227 mismatch, lower cellular G+C content and inability to produce menaquinones indicated that the C51T clade should represent a new genus in the Shewanellaceae , for which the name Parashewanella gen. nov. is proposed, the type species is Parashewanella spongiae comb. nov., and another species is Parashewanella curva sp. nov. The type strains of Parashewanella spongiae and Parashewanella curva are HJ039T (=KCTC 22492T=KCCM 42304T=JCM 13830T) and C51T (=MCCC 1K03463T=KCTC 62318T), respectively.

The surgical approach of acoustic neuroma includes translabyrinthine, transcranial fossa, suboccipital retrosigmoid sinus, and presigmoid retrolabyrinthine approach. Aims/Objective: To provide the anatomical basis for the surgical selection of presigmoid retrolabyrinthine approach by measuring the anatomical parameters of retrolabyrinthine space of the petrous bone by high-resolution CT.A retrospective study of 208 high-resolution CT (HRCT) images of 104 patients examined in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively. Forty-nine males and 55 females were included in this study. Lines were drawn on the HRCT to measure the morphological data for pre-operational assessment.Morphological data were retracted from HRCT, for preoperational assessment.Using the standard postprocessing images of temporal bone HRCT can predict the size of the retrolabyrinthine space and the degree of exposure to the inner auditory canal, providing an important anatomical index for the choice of presigmoid retrolabyrinthine approach.

A Gram-stain-negative, non-spore-forming, aerobic, motile, ovoid or rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain C34T, was isolated from a Porites species coral on Weizhou Island, China. Optimal growth occurred in 4 % NaCl (w/v), at 30 °C and pH 8. The only detected respiratory quinone was Q-8. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, two unidentified ninhydrin-positive lipids, one ninhydrin-positive unidentified phospholipid and two unidentified polar lipids. The genome DNA G+C content was 56.7 mol%. The major cellular fatty acids were C16 : 1ω7c/iso-C15 : 0 2-OH, C16 : 0, C18 : 1ω7c/ω6c, C18 : 0 and iso-C11 : 0 3-OH. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain C34T forms a stable cluster with Motiliproteus sediminis CICC 10858T (with the highest sequence similarity of 95.7 %). Strain C34T was also physiologically and chemical taxonomically similar to M. sediminis CICC 10858T, although they could be distinguished by colony colour on 2216E agar, the flagellum position and the diphosphatidylglycerol content in the cellular polar lipid. Thus, strain C34T is suggested to represent a new species in the genus Motiliproteus , for which the name Motiliproteus coralliicola is proposed. The type strain is C34T (=MCCC 1K03462T=KCTC 62319T).

The aim of this study was to compare the meat quality and evaluate the chemical composition of Chinese Ningdu yellow chicken of different weights once they have reached market age. Thirty hens at the day of age 118 were selected and divided into three groups according to their weight: light weight (1288.00 ± 69.78 g, n = 10), medium weight (1407.17 ± 39.40 g, n = 10), heavy weight (1581.6 ± 46.59 g, n = 10), and the differences in weight among these three groups are significant. Biochemical, histological, and metabonomic approaches were used to obtain index values of meat quality and chemical composition. Compared with meat from lighter chickens, muscle fiber density was significantly lower in heavier chickens, and meat pH was positively correlated with chicken weight. Though the amount of all measured amino acids were not different among three weight groups of chicken, the levels of several kinds of fatty acids exhibited significant differences or correlations, including linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, myristic acid, oleic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These results contribute to help customers choose the optimal chicken weight depending upon the food to be cooked.

In March 2020, following the annual International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) ratification vote on newly proposed taxa, the phylum Negarnaviricota was amended and emended. At the genus rank, 20 new genera were added, two were deleted, one was moved, and three were renamed. At the species rank, 160 species were added, four were deleted, ten were moved and renamed, and 30 species were renamed. This article presents the updated taxonomy of Negarnaviricota as now accepted by the ICTV., La lista completa de autores que integran el documento puede consultarse en el archivo., Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Centro de Investigaciones en Fitopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Instituto de Biotecnologia y Biologia Molecular

The microbial infectious diseases (infectious diseases) represent the leading global public health problem, and the effective treatment depends on rapid and accurate detection of pathogens. Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), a new assay that combines microfluidics technology with TaqMan-based PCR, provides absolute quantification without the need of the standard curves. With the development of ddPCR, it has become an ideal tool for microorganism detection. In this review, we summarized the major literature with regard to the application of ddPCR in detecting the pathogenic microorganisms of infectious diseases, including bacteria, fungi, and virus. The ddPCR method has the advantages of detecting the targeted DNA of infectious microorganisms, with high sensitivity, high precision, and absolute quantification. Thus, ddPCR has emerged as a promising and reliable tool in detecting pathogenicmicroorganisms.

Theoretical and experimental studies have demonstrated that temperature is an important environmental factor that affects the regional distribution of plants. However, how to modify the distribution pattern of plants in different regions is a focus of current research. Obtain the information of cold tolerance genes from cold tolerance species, cloning genes with real cold tolerance effects is one of the most important ways to find the genes related to cold tolerance. In this study, we investigated whether transferring the VHA-c gene from Antarctic notothenioid fishes into Arabidopsis enhances freezing tolerance of Arabidopsis. The physiological response and molecular changes of VHA-c overexpressing pedigree and wildtype Arabidopsis were studied at −20 °C. The results showed that the malondialdehyde (MDA) and membrane leakage rates of WT plants were significantly higher than those of VHA-c8 and VHA-c11 plants, but the soluble sugar, soluble protein, proline and ATP contents of WT plants were significantly lower than those of VHA-c8 and VHA-c11 plants under −20 °C freezing treatment. The survival rate, VHA-c gene expression level and VHA-c protein contents of WT plants were significantly lower than those of VHA-c8 and VHA-c11 plants under −20 °C freezing treatment. Correlation analysis showed that ATP content was significantly negatively correlated with MDA and membrane leakage rate, and positively correlated with soluble sugar, soluble protein and proline content under −20 °C freezing treatment. These results demonstrated that overexpression of the VHA-c gene provided strong freezing tolerance to Arabidopsis by increasing the synthesis of ATP and improved the adaptability of plants in low temperature environment.

Inflammation plays an important role in cases of acute lung injury (ALI), and the Toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor-κB (TLR4/NF-κB) pathway, which can be regulated by Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharides (PSPs), is closely related to the dynamics of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation. Thus, we sought to evaluate whether or not PSPs prevent LPS-induced ALI by way of inhibiting inflammation via the TLR4/NF-κB pathway in rats. We established an ALI rat model by tracheal instillation of LPS, and by pre-injection of PSPs into rats to examine PSPs in the ALI rat model. We found that PSPs attenuated LPS-induced lung pathological changes in ALI rats, decreased LPS-induced myeloperoxidase (MOP) activity, and elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in lung tissue. However, PSPs also decreased the LPS-induced increase in the neutrophil ratio, and decreased inflammatory factor levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Moreover, PSPs decreased LPS-induced increases in inflammatory factors measured by mRNA expression, and altered the levels of expression of TLR4, medullary differentiation protein 88 (Myd88), p-IKB-α/IKB-α and p-p65/p65 proteins in lung tissue. In vitro, PSPs also reduced apoptosis induced by LPS in BEAS-2B cells by suppressing inflammation through its effect of inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB pathway. In conclusion, our results suggest that PSPs may be a potential drug for effective treatment of LPS-induced ALI, due to the ability to inhibit inflammation through effects exerted on the TLR4/Myd88/NF-κB pathway.

The present study investigated the effects of four woody forages (Moringa oleifera Lam (MOL), fermented MOL, Folium mori (FM) and fermented FM) on biodiversity and bioactivity of aerobic culturable gut bacteria of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) by a traditional culture-dependent method. A total of 133 aerobic culturable isolates were recovered and identified from the gut of tilapia, belonging to 35 species of 12 genera in three bacterial phyla (Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria). Among them, 6 bacterial isolates of Bacillus baekryungensis, Bacillus marisflavi, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus methylotrophicus, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas taiwanensis were isolated from all the five experimental groups. The Bray-Curtis analysis showed that the bacterial communities among the five groups displayed obvious differences. In addition, this result of bioactivity showed that approximate 43% of the aerobic culturable gut bacteria of tilapia displayed a distinct anti-bacterial activity against at least one of four fish pathogens Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus iniae, Micrococcus luteus and Vibrio parahemolyticus. Furthermore, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Streptomyces rutgersensis displayed strong activity against all four indicator bacteria. These results contribute to our understanding of the intestinal bacterial diversity of tilapia when fed with woody forages and how certain antimicrobial bacteria flourished under such diets. This can aid in the further exploitation of new diets and probiotic sources in aquaculture.

Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury is a complex phenomenon that causes severe damage to the myocardium. However, the potential molecular mechanisms of MI/R injury have not been fully clarified. We identified potential molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets in MI/R injury through analysis of Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found between MI/R injury and normal samples, and overlapping DEGs were found between GSE61592 and GSE67308. Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway analysis were performed for overlapping DEGs by Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integration Discovery (DAVID). Then, a network of protein-protein interaction (PPI) was constructed through the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) database. Potential microRNAs (miRNAs) and therapeutic small molecules were screened out using microRNA.org database and the Comparative Toxicogenomics database (CTD), respectively. Finally, we identified 21 overlapping DEGs related to MI/R injury. These DEGs were significantly enriched in IL-17 signaling pathway, cytosolic DNA-sensing pathway, chemokine signaling, and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway. According to the degree in the PPI network, CCL2, LCN2, HP, CCL7, HMOX1, CCL4, and S100A8 were found to be hub genes. Furthermore, we identified potential miRNAs (miR-24-3p, miR-26b-5p, miR-2861, miR-217, miR-4251, and miR-124-3p) and therapeutic small molecules like ozone, troglitazone, rosiglitazone, and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for MI/R injury. These results identified hub genes and potential small molecule drugs, which could contribute to the understanding of molecular mechanisms and treatment for MI/R injury.

NtALS1 is specifically expressed in glandular trichomes, and can improve the content of acylsugars in tobacco. The glandular trichomes of many species in the Solanaceae family play an important role in plant defense. These epidermal outgrowths exhibit specialized secondary metabolism, including the production of structurally diverse acylsugars that function in defense against insects and have substantial developmental potential for commercial uses. However, our current understanding of genes involved in acyl chain biosynthesis of acylsugars remains poor in tobacco. In this study, we identified three acetolactate synthase (ALS) genes in tobacco through homology-based gene prediction using Arabidopsis ALS. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and tissue distribution analyses suggested that NtALS1 was highly expressed in the tips of glandular trichomes. Subcellular localization analysis showed that the NtALS1 localized to the chloroplast. Moreover, in the wild-type K326 variety background, we generated two ntals1 loss-of-function mutants using the CRISPR-Cas9 system. Acylsugars contents in the two ntals1 mutants were significantly lower than those in the wild type. Through phylogenetic tree analysis, we also identified NtALS1 orthologs that may be involved in acylsugar biosynthesis in other Solanaceae species. Taken together, these findings indicate a functional role for NtALS1 in acylsugar biosynthesis in tobacco.

Regional acclimatisation and microbial interactions significantly influence the resilience of reef-building corals facing anthropogenic climate change, allowing them to adapt to environmental stresses. However, the connections between community structure and microbial interactions of the endemic coral microbiome and holobiont acclimatisation remain unclear. Herein, we used generation sequencing of internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) and 16S rRNA genes to investigate the microbiome composition (Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria) and associated potential interactions of endemic dominant coral holobionts (Pocillopora verrucosa and Turbinaria peltata) in the South China Sea (SCS). We found that shifts in Symbiodiniaceae and bacterial communities of P. verrucosa were associated with latitudinal gradient and climate zone changes, respectively. The C1 sub-clade consistently dominated the Symbiodiniaceae community in T. peltata; yet, the bacterial community structure was spatially heterogeneous. The relative abundance of the core microbiome among P. verrucosa holobionts was reduced in the biogeographical transition zone, while bacterial taxa associated with anthropogenic activity (Escherichia coli and Sphingomonas) were identified in the core microbiomes. Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria potentially interact in microbial co-occurrence networks. Further, increased bacterial, and Symbiodiniaceae α-diversity was associated with increased and decreased network complexity, respectively. Hence, Symbiodiniaceae and bacteria demonstrated different flexibility in latitudinal or climatic environmental regimes, which correlated with holobiont acclimatisation. Core microbiome analysis has indicated that the function of core bacterial microbiota might have changed in distinct environmental regimes, implying potential human activity in the coral habitats. Increased bacterial α diversity may lead to a decline in the stability of coral-microorganism symbioses, whereas rare Symbiodiniaceae may help to retain symbioses. Cladocopium, γ-proteobacteria, while α-proteobacteria may have been the primary drivers in the Symbiodiniaceae-bacterial interactions (SBIs). Our study highlights the association between microbiome shift in distinct environmental regimes and holobiont acclimatisation, while providing insights into the impact of SBIs on holobiont health and acclimatisation during climate change.

Background: Coral reef ecosystems cannot operate normally without an effective nitrogen cycle. For oligotrophic coral reef areas, coral-associated diazotrophs are indispensable participants in the nitrogen cycle. How coral-associated diazotrophs will change in order to adapt to environmental changes resulting from global warming and human activities is a topic of concern for researchers. To this end, 68 colonies of scleractinian coral were collected from 6 coral reefs areas with different environmental variables in the South China Sea to investigate the composition of associated diazotrophs based on nifH gene amplification using high-throughput sequencing. The six coral reefs can be clearly divided into two types (fringing reefs and island reefs), are affected by varying degrees of human activities and are located at different latitudes from 9°20′06′′N to 22°34′55′′N with different seawater temperatures. Results: Alpha- and beta-diversity analyses showed that the distribution of diazotrophs among coral reefs exhibited greater geographical fluctuations than interspecific fluctuations. The predominant bacterial phyla included Proteobacteria, Chlorobi, Cyanobacteria, and two unclassified phyla. Chlorobi exhibited an abundance of 47–96% in coral samples from the high-latitude Daya Bay fringing reef affected by eutrophication. Unclassified bacteria II, with an abundance of 28–87%, was found in all coral samples from the midlatitude Luhuitou fringing reef affected by eutrophication. However, unclassified bacteria I and Proteobacteria dominated (> 80% abundance) in most of the coral samples from the Weizhou Island fringing reef, which is far from land, and three island reefs (Huangyan Island, Xinyi Reef, and Sanjiao Reef) at relatively low latitudes. At the genus level, some core diazotrophs were found in different coral sample groups. In addition, the correlation analysis with various environmental variables revealed that the variables correlated positively or negatively with different diazotrophic genera. Conclusions: We found that coral-associated diazotrophs were common among coral individuals. The presence of these diazotrophs was not affected by the external environment, but their population abundances were closely related to the different environmental variables. These results provide insights into the ecological characteristics of coral-associated diazotrophs and their relationships with critical environmental variables in the South China Sea.

Protease-producing bacteria play a vital role in degrading organic nitrogen in marine environments. However, the diversity of the bacteria and extracellular proteases has seldom been addressed, especially in communities of coral reefs. In this study, 136 extracellular protease-producing bacterial strains were isolated from seven genera of scleractinian corals from Luhuitou fringing reef, and their protease types were characterized. The massive coral had more cultivable protease-producing bacteria than branching or foliose corals. The abundance of cultivable protease-producing bacteria reached 106 CFU g−1 of coral. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the isolates were assigned to 24 genera, from which 20 corresponded to the phyla Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. Bacillus and Fictibacillus were retrieved from all coral samples. Moreover, Vibrio and Pseudovibrio were most prevalent in massive or foliose coral Platygyra and Montipora. In contrast, 11 genera were each identified in only one isolate. Nearly all the extracellular proteases from the bacteria were serine proteases or metalloproteases; 45.83% of isolates also released cysteine or aspartic proteases. These proteases had different hydrolytic ability against different substrates. This study represents a novel insight on the diversity of cultivable protease-producing bacteria and their extracellular proteases in scleractinian corals.

Exosomes affect the initiation and progression of cancers. In the tumor microenvironment, not only cancer cells, but also fibroblasts and immunocytes secrete exosomes. Exosomes act as a communicator between cells by transferring different cargos and microRNAs (miRNAs). Drug resistance is one of the critical factors affecting therapeutic effect in the course of cancer treatment. The currently known mechanisms of drug resistance include drug efflux, alterations in drug metabolism, DNA damage repair, alterations of energy programming, cancer stem cells and epigenetic changes. Many studies have shown that miRNA carried by exosomes is closely associated with the development of drug resistance mediated by the above-mentioned mechanisms. This review article will discuss how exosomal miRNAs regulate the drug resistance.

Global warming has degraded coral reef ecosystems worldwide. Some corals develop thermal tolerance by associating with heat-tolerant Symbiodiniaceae. Here, we studied the mechanisms surrounding the dispersal, genetic variation and symbionts interaction of heat-tolerant Durusdinium trenchii across 13° latitudes in the South China Sea (SCS), to explore the possible mechanisms underlying these changes. Our results showed that Durusdinium trenchii are widely distributed in the seawater from the SCS. Our analyses of microsatellite loci revealed that D. trenchii has a high genetic diversity in the SCS; STRUCTURE analysis indicated that D. trenchii can be divided into four populations within the SCS; There exist positive correlations between genetic variation and geographic isolation, average sea surface temperature (SST) and variations in SST. Network modelling inferences showed that D. trenchii is a key species in the Symbiodiniaceae communities in the tropical SCS and contributes the greatest number of co-exclusion relationships. These results indicated that D. trenchii can affect the rare Symbiodiniaceae community. The long lifespan and the monsoon-driven ocean currents have shaped the wide distribution of D. trenchii. But low SST limits the ability of D. trenchii to establish stable symbioses with coral in the subtropical habitats. Geographical isolation and SST have shaped significant genetic variation of D.trenchii around the SCS. Our data reveals the biogeography and genetic population characteristics of D. trenchii in the Indo-Pacific region, and suggests that heat-tolerance and high genetic diversity of D. trenchii aid the corals with their adaptation to climate change.

Influenza A virus (IAV) infection regulates the expression of numerous host genes. However, the precise mechanism underlying implication of these genes in IAV pathogenesis remains largely unknown. Here, we employed isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) to identify host proteins regulated by IAV infection. iTRAQ analysis of mouse lungs infected or uninfected with IAV showed a total of 167 differentially upregulated proteins in response to the viral infection. Interestingly, we observed that p27Kip1, a potent cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, was markedly induced by IAV both at mRNA and protein levels through in vitro and in vivo studies. Furthermore, it was shown that innate immune signalling positively regulated p27Kip1 expression in response to IAV infection. Ectopic expression of p27Kip1 in A549 cells dramatically inhibited IAV replication, whereas, p27Kip1 knockdown significantly enhanced the virus replication. in vivo experiments demonstrated that p27Kip1 knockout (KO) mice were more susceptible to IAV than wild-type (WT) mice: exhibiting higher viral load in lung tissue, faster body-weight loss, reduced survival rate and more severe organ damage. Moreover, we found that p27Kip1 overexpression facilitated the degradation of viral NS1 protein, caused a dramatic STAT1 activation and promoted the expression of IFN-β and several critical antiviral interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). Increased p27Kip1 expression also restricted infections of several other viruses. Conversely, IAV-infected p27Kip1 KO mice exhibited a sharp increase in NS1 protein accumulation, reduced level of STAT1 activation and decreased expression of IFN-β and the ISGs in the lung compared to WT animals. These findings reveal a key role of p27Kip1 in enhancing antiviral innate immunity.

AIM To investigate the possible mechanisms of telomerase and telomere underlying the anticancer effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). MATERIALS & METHODS 25nm polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated AgNPs were used. The telomerase activity and telomere function were evaluated. The anticancer effects of AgNPs were gauged with cell viability assay under different statement of telomerase and telomere. RESULTS & CONCLUSION AgNPs could inhibit telomerase activity and lead to telomere shortening and dysfunction. Overexpression of telomerase attenuated the anticancer activity of AgNPs, whereas downregulation of telomerase activity or dysfunction of the telomere enhanced the cytotoxicity of AgNPs in HeLa cells. Our findings provided strong evidence that the anticancer effects of AgNPs were mediated via interference with the telomerase/telomere.

Background Rice stripe mosaic virus (RSMV) is a tentative new Cytorhabdovirus species in family Rhabdoviridae transmitted by the leafhopper Recilia dorsalis. Although the virus was first detected in southern China in 2015, few studies have investigated rice symptoms and yield losses caused by RSMV infection. Methods In this study, we observed and systematically compared symptoms of three virally infected, representative varieties of indica, hybrid and japonica rice and determined the yield parameters of the artificially inoculated plants. Results The three RSMV-infected cultivated rice varieties exhibited slight dwarfing, striped mosaicism, stiff, crinkled or even twisted leaves, an increased number of tillers, delayed heading, cluster-shaped shortening of panicles and mostly unfilled grains. Slight differences in symptom occurrence time were observed under different environmental conditions. For example, mosaic symptoms appeared earlier and crinkling symptoms appeared later, with both symptoms later receding in some infected plants. Yield losses due to RSMV also differed among varieties. The most serious yield reduction was experienced by indica rice (cv. Meixiangzhan), followed by hybrid indica rice (cv. Wuyou 1179) and then japonica (cv. Nipponbare). Single panicle weight, seed setting rate and 1000-kernel weight were reduced in the three infected varieties compared with healthy plants—by 85.42, 94.85 and 31.56% in Meixiangzhan; 52.43, 53.06 and 25.65% in Wuyou 1179 and 25.53, 49.32 and 23.86% in Nipponbare, respectively. Conclusions Our findings contribute basic data for field investigations, formulation of prevention and control strategies and further study of the pathogenesis of RSMV.

Field ecological observations indicate that scleractinian coral exposed to early thermal stress are likely to develop higher tolerance to subsequent heat stress. The causes of this phenomenon, however, remain enigmatic. To unravel the mechanisms underlying the increased heat tolerance, we applied different thermal treatments to the scleractinian coral Acropora pruinosa and studied the resulting differences in appearance, physiological index, Symbiodiniaceae and bacterial communities, and transcriptome response. We found that early heat stress improved the thermal tolerance of the coral holobiont. After thermal acclimation, the community structure and symbiotic bacterial diversity in the microbiota were reorganized, whereas those of Symbiodiniaceae remained stable. RNA-seq analysis revealed that the downregulated coral host genes were mainly involved in pathways relating to metabolism, particularly the nitrogen metabolism pathway. This indicates that thermal acclimation led to decrease in the metabolism level in the coral host, which might be a self-protection mechanism. We suggest that thermal acclimation may increase scleractinian coral thermal tolerance by slowing host metabolism, altering the dominant bacterial population, and increasing bacterial diversity. This study offers new insights into the adaptive potential of scleractinian coral to heat stress from global warming.

Heat shock protein 22 (Hsp22) is an important regulatory factor response to various stresses in mammals. In this study, the full length cDNA of Epinephelus coioides Hsp22, which was 1680bp in length, with a 289 bp 5' UTR, a 725 bp 3'UTR, and a 666 bp open reading frame encoding 221 amino acids, was obtained. E. coioides Hsp22 contains a highly conserved α-crystallin domain. E. coioides Hsp22 mRNA was detected in all tissues examined by quantitative real-time PCR, with the highest expression in blood, followed by the spleen, skin, gill, head kidney, muscle, heart, liver, trunk kidney, stomach, pyloric caeca, intestine, brain and thymus. The expression patterns of E. coioides Hsp22 response to infection with Singapore grouper iridovirus (SGIV) and Vribro alginolyticus, the important pathogens of E. coioides, were studied. The expression levels of the gene were up-regulated in the tissues examined. Subcellular localization analysis demonstrated that E. coioides Hsp22 was distributed in both the cytoplasm and nucleus. In addition, E. coioides Hsp22 significantly inhibited the SGIV-induced cell apoptosis. In summary, the E. coioides Hsp22 might play a critical role in pathogenic stimulation.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in a diversity of biological processes. It is known that differential expression of thousands of lncRNAs occurs in host during influenza A virus (IAV) infection. However, only few of them have been well characterized. Here, we identified a lncRNA, named as interferon (IFN)-stimulated lncRNA (ISR), which can be significantly upregulated in response to IAV infection in a mouse model. A sequence alignment revealed that lncRNA ISR is present in mice and human beings, and indeed, we found that it was expressed in several human and mouse cell lines and tissues. Silencing lncRNA ISR in A549 cells resulted in a significant increase in IAV replication, whereas ectopic expression of lncRNA ISR reduced the viral replication. Interestingly, interferon-&beta, (IFN-&beta, ) treatment was able to induce lncRNA ISR expression, and induction of lncRNA ISR by viral infection was nearly abolished in host deficient of IFNAR1, a type I IFN receptor. Furthermore, the level of IAV-induced lncRNA ISR expression was decreased either in retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) knockout A549 cells and mice or by nuclear factor &kappa, light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-&kappa, B) inhibitor treatment. Together, these data elucidate that lncRNA ISR is regulated by RIG-I-dependent signaling that governs IFN-&beta, production during IAV infection, and has an inhibitory capacity in viral replication.

It is well-known that the adaptability of coral-Symbiodiniaceae symbiosis to thermal stress varies among coral species, but the cause and/or mechanism behind it are not well-understood. In this study, we aimed to explore this issue based on zooxanthellae density (ZD) and Symbiodiniaceae genus/subclade. Hemocytometry and next-generation sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region 2 (ITS2) marker gene were used to observe ZDs and Symbiodiniaceae genera/subclades associated with 15 typical coral species in the southern South China Sea (SCS). Average ZDs of all corals were in low levels, ranging from 0.84 to 1.22 × 106 cells cm−2, with a total of five Symbiodiniaceae genera, Symbiodinium, Cladocopium, Durusdinium, Fugacium, and Gerakladium, as well as 24 dominant subclades, were detected and varied among these coral species. Pocillopora verrucosa was dominated by Durusdinium (subclade D1/D1a), and other colonial corals were dominated by Cladocopium, but the subclades were varied among these species. Porites lutea and Montipora efflorescens were dominated by C15, and Echinopora lamellosa, Hydnophora exesa, and Coscinaraea exesa were dominated by C40. Acropora corymbosa, Merulina ampliata, and five species of Faviidae were mainly associated with Cladocopium types of C3u and Cspc. In contrast to other colonial corals, the dominant subclade of solitary Fungia fungites was C27, with high host specificity. Our study indicates that coral thermal stress adaptability is mainly affected by dominant Symbiodiniaceae type instead of ZD in the southern SCS. Some heat-sensitive corals, such as P. verrucosa corals, have acquired a high abundance of heat-tolerant Durusdinium to adapt to thermal stress. This could be the main reason for these corals becoming the dominant corals in this reef region. Background subclades analyses showed significant differences among coral species in subclade quantity and diversity. These suggest that numbers of coral species may have adapted to high environmental temperature by adopting various symbionts and/or associating with heat-tolerant Symbiodiniaceae.

SummaryThe proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation of myoblasts are essential processes in skeletal muscle development. During this developmental process, microRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles. In our previous RNA-seq study (accession number GSE62971), we found that miR-16-5p was differentially expressed between fast and slow growth in chicken. In this study, we report that miR-16-5p could inhibit myoblast proliferation, promote myoblast apoptosis, and repress myoblast differentiation by directly binding to the 3′ UTR of SESN1, which is also differentially expressed. Overexpression of SESN1 significantly promoted the proliferation, inhibited apoptosis, and induced differentiation of myoblasts. Conversely, its loss of function hampered myoblast proliferation, facilitated myoblast apoptosis, and inhibited myoblast differentiation. Interestingly, we found SESN1 could regulate p53 by a feedback mechanism, thereby participating in the regulation of p53 signaling pathway, which suggests that this feedback is indispensable for myoblast proliferation and apoptosis. Altogether, these data demonstrated that miR-16-5p directly targets SESN1 to regulate the p53 signaling pathway, and therefore affecting myoblast proliferation and apoptosis. Additionally, SESN1 targets myogenic genes to control myoblast differentiation.

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of in ovo injection of ascorbic acid on antioxidant capacity and immune-related gene expression in the newly hatched local Chinese yellow broiler chicks. Fertile Chinese yellow broiler eggs (n = 90) were assigned to three equal groups. The first group was a non-injected control group. The second group was another control group where the eggs were injected with saline in the air sac after 18 days of incubation. The third group was injected with 3 mg/egg AA in the air sac after 18 days of incubation. In ovo injection of 3 mg/egg AA significantly (P 0.0001) increased plasma glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and significantly reduced plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) at 1 d old. Moreover, in ovo injection of 3 mg/egg AA significantly increased mRNA expression of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) and superoxide Dismutase (SOD) in the chick's spleen.Additionally, the mRNA level of interleukin 1 β (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in the spleen were significantly decreased (P 0.0001), which indicates an improvement in chick's immunity. In conclusion, our data suggest that in ovo injection of AA at 3 mg/egg enhance antioxidant defense system and immune system for newly hatched chicks.