Studies of clomazone mode of action

Intact spinach chloroplasts were used to determine if clomazone, 5-OH clomazone, and/or 5-keto clomazone inhibited the chloroplastic isoprenoid pathway. When isopentenyl pyrophosphate was used as a precursor, neither clomazone nor the clomazone metabolites (5-OH clomazone and 5-keto clomazone) inhibited the formation of products separated by HPLC in the organic phase. However, when pyruvate, a substrate for the first committed step of the pathway, was used as a precursor, both 5-keto clomazone and fosmidomycin reduced the formation of a non-polar product and increased the formation of a polar product in the organic phase. Only 5-keto clomazone, not 5-OH clomazone or clomazone, inhibited the formation of an additional product other than fosmidomycin in the aqueous phase from pyruvate incorporation. In an in vitro assay, 5-keto clomazone inhibited DXP synthase, the enzyme catalyzing the first committed step of the chloroplastic isoprenoid pathway. Therefore, our studies show that neither clomazone nor 5-OH clomazone inhibits the chloroplastic isoprenoid pathway, only 5-keto clomazone does.     

When, why, and how to perform cardiac radiofrequency catheter ablation

Radiofrequency catheter ablative techniques provide a unique opportunity to cure dogs of certain supraventricular tachyarrhythmias, rather than simply controlling the rhythm with drug therapy. Accessory pathways, which can participate as one limb of a rapid, narrow complex tachyarrhythmia circuit, have a particularly high cure rate with radiofrequency catheter ablation. Focal atrial tachycardias also provide a substrate that can be amenable to ablation. Tachycardia-induced myocardial dysfunction resulting from frequent tachyarrhythmic episodes will resolve after a successful ablation. This report outlines the indications, equipment, and techniques used in dogs for performing catheter ablation with temperature-controlled radiofrequency energy delivery.     

套袋对苹果果皮花青苷合成及着色的影响

套袋是提高苹果果实着色的主要技术措施之一,也是研究苹果果皮花青苷合成和基因表达的重要手段。苹果果皮花青苷的合成经由苯丙烷类代谢途径,编码苹果花青苷合成酶类的基因已得到克隆。套袋后果皮花青苷合成酶类的基因表达受到抑制,因而抑制了花青苷合成;摘袋后果皮花青苷迅速合成,与套袋后果皮光受体浓度增加和叶绿素含量降低从而提高对光的敏感度、迅速启动花青苷合成酶类的基因协同表达有关。果皮色素特别是花青苷和叶绿素的含量、比例和分布决定果实的着色状况,套袋促进果皮花青苷合成的同时大大降低了叶绿素含量,从而使果实着色鲜艳。     

炎症标志物抵抗素研究进展

抵抗素是一种与肥胖以及肥胖相关疾病密切相关的脂肪细胞因子.近年研究表明,该因子参与炎症的发生过程.文章从抵抗素与炎症因子和C反应蛋白的相关性,与内皮细胞的相互作用以及炎症相关的临床和试验研究几个方面阐述了抵抗素与炎症的关系.     

Testing assumptions of cost surface analysis—a tool for invasive species management

Applied ecology could benefit from new tools that identify potential movement pathways of invasive species, particularly where data are sparse. Cost surface analysis (CSA) estimates the permeability (friction) across a landscape and can be applied to dispersal modelling. Increasingly used in a diversity of applications, several fundamental assumptions that might influence the outputs of CSA (cost surfaces and least-cost pathways) have yet to be systematically examined. Thus, we explore two issues: the presumed relationship between habitat preferences and dispersal behaviour as well as the degree of landscape fragmentation through which an organism moves by modelling a total of 18 sensitivity and dispersal scenarios. We explored the effect of fragmentation by altering the friction values (generally assigned using expert opinion) associated with patch and linear features. We compared these sensitivity scenarios in two sites that differed in fragmentation. We also used eastern grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) as an example invading species and compared diffusion models and two contrasting cost surface dispersal scenarios. The diffusion model underestimated spread because squirrels did not move randomly through the landscape. Despite contrasting assumptions regarding dispersal behaviour, the two cost surfaces were strikingly similar while the least-cost paths differed. Furthermore, while the cost surfaces were insensitive to changes in friction values for linear features, they were sensitive to assumptions made for patch features. Our results suggest that movement in fragmented landscapes may be more sensitive to assumptions regarding friction values than contiguous landscapes. Thus, the reliability of CSA may depend not only on the range of friction values used for patches but also the degree of contiguity in the landscape.     

Dihydroartemisinin enhances radiotherapy efficiency in H22 cell tumor-bearing mice by regulating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

AIM To study the effect of dihydroartemisinin （DHA） on the radiotherapy efficiency in hepatocellular carcinoma H22 cell tumor-bearing mice and the role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （AKT） signaling pathway in this process. METHODS A model of H22 cell tumor-bearing mice was established. The mice was divided into model group， single radiotherapy group， 5-fluorouracil （5-FU） group， and low-， medium- and high-dose DHA groups. The body weight and tumor volume in each group were measured every other day. At the end of administration， blood was collected from the tail of the mice and the animals were killed by neck removal immediately. The synergistic effect of DHA on radiotherapy was determined， and tumor growth inhibitory rate was calculated. The degree of lymphocyte transformation and natural killer （NK） cell activity were measured by MTT， the serum levels of interleukin-2 （IL-2） and IL-4 were measured by ELISA， and the protein levels of PI3K， AKT and p-AKT were determined by Western blot. RESULTS The H22 cell tumor-bearing mouse model was successfully constructed. Compared with model group， the TGT₃ （tumor growth time to reach 3 times of volume） of single radiotherapy group was remarkably increased （P<0.05）， while tumor weight， lymphocyte transformation degree， NK cell activity， IL-2 and IL-4 levels， PI3K protein level and AKT phosphorylation level were remarkably decreased （P<0.05）. Compared with single radiotherapy group， TGT₃， EF （enhancement factor）， tumor inhibitory rate， lymphocyte transformation degree， NK cell activity， IL-2 level and IL-4 level were increased with the increase in DHA dose （P<0.05）， and the PI3K protein level and AKT phosphorylation level were decreased （P<0.05）. CONCLUSION DHA may enhance the immunity of tumor-bearing mice by inhibiting the activity of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway， thereby enhancing the efficacy of radiotherapy.     

依普黄酮对骨质疏松症笼养蛋鸡OPG和RANKL表达的影响

选用200只24周龄健康海兰褐蛋鸡,随机分为4组:对照组(基础日粮中含钙3.55％)、低钙组(日粮合钙1.27％)、试验Ⅰ组(依普黄酮8 mg/kg,低钙日粮)和试验Ⅱ组(依普黄酮20 mg/kg,低钙日粮),观察依普黄酮对骨质疏松症笼养蛋鸡血清及骨骼骨保护素(Osteo protegerin,OPG)/核因子-相受体活化因子配体(Receptor activatorof NF-κB ligand,RANKL)表达的影响.结果显示:与低钙组相比,30 d时,试验Ⅰ组和Ⅱ组血清OPG分别显著升高33.12％和60.19％(P＜0.05)；60 d时,试验Ⅰ组和Ⅱ组血清OPG分别显著升高35.89％和61.59％ (P＜0.05)；30 d时,试验Ⅰ组和Ⅱ组血清RANKL分别极显著降低63.85％和70.87％(P＜0.01)；60 d时,试验Ⅰ组和Ⅱ组血清RANKL分别极显著降低69.98％和72.85％ (P＜0.01).与低钙组相比,试验Ⅰ组和Ⅱ组骨组织OPG平均光密度分别显著(P＜0.05)和极显著(P＜0.01)升高,试验Ⅰ组和Ⅱ组蛋鸡骨组织RANKL平均光密度极显著低于低钙组蛋鸡(P＜o.01).试验Ⅰ组和Ⅱ组OPG/RANKL值高于低钙组.结果表明,低钙日粮中添加依普黄酮对蛋鸡骨质疏松症可起到一定改善作用,这可能与OPG上调,RANKL下调,影响RANKL信号通路,使其骨量增加,骨结构改善密切相关.     

水稻粒型调控基因功能研究进展

水稻是世界上的重要谷类粮食作物之一，其产量和品质一直都是育种学家关注的重点，关系到全球粮食安全和人类健康。水稻粒型主要包括粒长、粒宽、粒厚等，是受多基因控制的重要数量性状，不仅直接影响水稻产量，还与水稻品质密切相关。深入了解水稻粒型的形成与调控机理将有助于进一步提升水稻单株产量、改善稻米品质。分子生物学的发展和基因组学的研究为探究水稻内部调控机制带来了新的变革。大量水稻粒型的数量性状遗传位点（Quantitative trait locus，QTL）成功被鉴定与解析，并验证了与之有关的基因功能。目前，已有几条调控粒型的通路得到鉴定，如泛素 - 蛋白酶体降解途径、G 蛋白信号途径、丝裂原活化蛋白激酶途径、转录因子调控途径、植物激素途径以及表观遗传途径等。然而，粒型调控网络极其复杂，多数基因上下游的调控组件作用机制尚不清楚，甚至影响粒型的各条通路间均存在一定的交叉互作。本文综述了影响水稻粒型的不同信号通路相关基因研究进展及关键粒型基因间的互作关系，总结了近年来粒型基因在育种上的应用情况，并提出结合多组学解析水稻粒型的调控机理研究，以期更好地服务于分子设计育种，为开发新的高产优质稻育种提供支撑。     

鹅羽绒发生发育的分子调控机理研究进展

简要概述了鹅羽绒毛囊形态发生和生长周期的循环过程,对Wnt/β-catenin信号传导途径、Shh传导途径、部分相关基因功能及其调控羽绒发生发育的分子机理进行了综述,并提出了目前研究中仍存在的问题。     

非洲猪瘟病毒感染后猪外周血淋巴细胞Toll样受体信号通路的lncRNA-mRNA分析

【目的】丰富非洲猪瘟病毒（African swine fever virus,ASFV）感染后猪外周血淋巴细胞长链非编码RNA（long non-coding RNA,lncRNA）表达谱,并进一步挖掘影响Toll样受体信号通路的调控网络。【方法】试验动物感染ASFV,于第7天采集外周血并分离得到外周血淋巴细胞,运用Illumina高通量组学测序对外周血淋巴细胞中lncRNA进行测序,原始数据经处理后筛选获得差异表达的lncRNA,并进行靶基因预测,利用生物信息学方法对靶基因进行GO功能和KEGG信号通路富集分析,初步绘制与Toll样受体信号通路相关的lncRNA-mRNA调控网络,并对lncRNA-ENSSSCG00000041959在内的4个lncRNAs进行实时荧光定量RT-PCR验证。【结果】共筛选到73个差异表达的lncRNAs,其中上调表达lncRNAs 38个,下调表达lncRNAs 35个。GO功能分析结果显示,靶基因显著富集在调节免疫系统过程、防御反应、生物刺激、病毒反应和先天性免疫;KEGG信号通路富集分析显示,大部分靶基因与细胞循环、疾病及免疫应答有关,其中免疫相关信号通路有Toll样受体信号通路、TNF信号通路、产生IgA的肠道免疫网络等。进一步挖掘出lncRNA-ENSSSCG00000041959-RIPK1和lncRNA-ENSSSCG00000041959-IRAK1可能是影响Toll样受体信号通路的重要调控网络,实时荧光定量RT-PCR与测序结果一致。【结论】本研究初步鉴定出lncRNA-ENSSSCG00000041959-RIPK1和lncRNA-ENSSSCG00000041959-IRAK1可能是影响Toll样受体信号通路的lncRNA-mRNA调控网络,为进一步探索lncRNA调控ASFV感染机体免疫反应奠定了理论基础。