An improved method for extraction of sorghum polymeric protein complexes

A method for fractionating sorghum proteins using extraction solvents and techniques designed to obtain polymeric protein structures (especially disulfide linked) was developed. Extraction and separation conditions were optimized in terms of completeness of protein extraction, sample stability, and analytical resolution. After pre-extraction of albumins and globulins, a 3-step sequential procedure involving no reducing agents was applied to ground whole sorghum flour. The three fractions obtained represented proportionally different protein polymer contents and molecular weight distribution as evidenced by comparative size exclusion chromatography. Protein composition also varied among the extracts with differences in kafirin composition and non-kafirin proteins detected in the fractions by RP-HPLC and SDS-PAGE analysis. The ability to quantify and further characterize sorghum polymeric protein complexes will be useful for additional studies linking protein structures with functionality and digestibility and variations for these properties within diverse sorghum germplasm.     

Seaweed polysaccharide mitigates intestinal barrier dysfunction induced by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli through NF-κB pathway suppression in porcine intestinal epithelial cells

This study aimed to investigate the protective effects and underlying mechanism of seaweed polysaccharide (SWP) on intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction induced by E. coli in an IPEC-J2 model. A preliminary study was done to screen optimum SWP concentrations by cell viability, cytotoxicity, apoptosis and proliferation evaluation. The regular study was conducted to evaluate the protective effects of SWP against E. coli challenge via the analysis of transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), tight junction proteins, NF-κB signalling pathway, proinflammatory cytokines and the E. coli adhesion and invasion. Our results show that 4 h E. coli challenge down-regulated tight junction proteins expression, decreased TEER, activated NF-κB signalling pathway and increased proinflammatory response, which indicates that the E. coli infection model was well-established. Pre-treatment with 240 μg/ml SWP for 24 h alleviated the 4 h E. coli -induced intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction, as evidenced by the up-regulated expression of Occludin, Claudin-1 and ZO-1 at both mRNA and protein level and the increased TEER of IPEC-J2 cells. Pre-incubation with 240 μg/ml SWP for 24 h inhibited the activation of the NF-κB signalling pathway by 4 h E. coli challenge, including the decreased mRNA expression of TLR-4, MyD88, IκBα, p-65, as well as the reduced ratio of protein expression of p-p65/p65. Also, pre-treatment with 240 μg/ml SWP for 24 h decreased proinflammatory response (IL-6 and TNF-α) induced by 4 h E. coli challenge and decreased the E. coli adhesion and invasion. In conclusion, SWP mitigated intestinal barrier dysfunction caused by E. coli through NF-κB pathway in IPEC-J2 cells and 240 μg/ml SWP exhibited better effect. Our results also provide a fundamental basis for SWP in reducing post-weaning diarrhoea of weaned piglets, especially under E. coli -infected or in-feed antibiotic-free conditions.     

Effects of calpain-2 and autophagy-related protein 5 on hepatocyte apoptosis induced by endoplasmic reticulum stress

AIMTo investigate the effects of calpain-2 and autophagy-related protein 5 (Atg5) on apoptosis of BRL-3A rat normal liver cells during endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) induced by dithiothreitol (DTT). METH?ODS: BRL-3A cells were treated with DTT at 2.0 mmol/L for 0, 6, 12 and 24 h to induce ERS. Real-time cell analysis (RTCA) was used to measure the effect of DTT on BRL-3A cell proliferation. Apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were analyzed by flow cytometry. The mRNA expression of calpain-2 and Atg5 was detected by real-time PCR. The protein levels of calpain-2, Atg5, Atg7, Atg12 and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) were determined by Western blot. The interaction between calpain-2 and Atg5 was investigated by co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP). RESULTSThe proliferation of BRL-3A cells treated with DTT was significantly inhibited. The apoptosis of BRL-3A cells was significantly increased after DTT treatment for 6, 12 and 24 h as compared with 0 h group (P<0.05). The cell cycle was arrested in G₁ phase after DTT treatment (P<0.05). After DTT treatment for 6, 12 and 24 h, the mRNA expression of calpain-2 and Atg5 in the BRL-3A cells was significantly increased as compared with 0 h group (P<0.05). The protein levels of calpain-2, Atg12 and Atg7 in the cells treated with DTT for 6, 12 and 24 h were significantly higher than those in 0 h group, and the ratio of LC3-II/LC3-I was also significantly higher than that in 0 h group, while Atg5 expression was significantly lower than that in 0 h group (P<0.05). The results of Co-IP found that the anti-calpain-2 antibody precipitated Atg5 protein from the cell lysates, and the anti-Atg5 antibody also precipitated calpain-2 from the cell lysates, which confirmed the interaction between calpain-2 and Atg5. CONCLUSION Calpain-2 may participate in ERS-induced hepatocyte apoptosis by interacting with Atg5.     

Roles of protein phosphatase 4 in down-regulation of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation induced by palmitic acid in human umbilical vein endotheli?al cells

AIMTo investigate the roles of protein phosphatase 4 (PP4) in down-regulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) Ser633 phosphorylation induced by palmitic acid (PA). METHODSHuman umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with PA at 25 μmol/L, 50 μmol/L, 100 μmol/L and 200μmol/L for 36 h, or treated with PA at 100 μmol/L for 12 h, 24 h, 36 h and 48 h. Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) family inhibitor fostriecin (FST, 20 nmol/L) or okadaic acid (OA, 5 nmol/L) was selected to pretreat the HUVECs for 30 min. Protein phosphatase 4 catalytic subunit (PP4c) siRNA or protein phosphatase 2A catalytic subunit (PP2Ac) siRNA was transfected into the HUVECs. The protein expression levels of of eNOS, PP4c and PP2Ac, as well as the level of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation, were detected by Western blot. The intracellular nitric oxide (NO) content was measured by DAF-FM DA. RESULTS(1) Compared with control group, the levels of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation were decreased in PA groups in which the HUVECs were treated with 25 μmol/L, 50 μmol/L, 100 μmol/L and 200 μmol/L PA for 36 h (P<0.05) and 100 μmol/L PA for 24 h, 36 h and 48 h (P<0.05). No significant difference in the level of total eNOS protein expression among all the groups was observed. (2) Compared with control group, both FST and OA pretreatment reversed the reduction of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation (P<0.05) and the decrease in intracellular NO content (P<0.05) induced by PA. No significant difference in the level of total eNOS protein expression among all the groups was observed. (3) Compared with si-Control group, the PP4c protein expression was significantly reduced (P<0.05), while the level of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation was significantly increased in si-PP4c group (P<0.05). Although the levels of PP2Ac protein expression declined significantly (P<0.05), the level of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation remained unchanged in si-PP2Ac group. No significant differencein the level of total eNOS protein expression among all the groups was found. CONCLUSION PA significantly reduces the level of eNOS Ser633 phosphorylation and the content of NO in the HUVECs, which may be due to PA inducing the activation of the PP2A family member PP4 rather than PP2A.     

四川地区猕猴桃病毒1的RT-PCR检测及外壳蛋白基因序列分析

为了明确近期新西兰报道的侵染猕猴桃的新病毒——猕猴桃病毒1（Actinidia virus 1，AcV-1）在四川地区猕猴桃上的发生情况及其分子特性，采用RT-PCR对来自四川6个地区疑似感染病毒的90份猕猴桃主栽品种‘红阳’和‘金果’的叶片样品进行检测。结果表明，22份样品为AcV-1阳性，检出率为24.4%。将获得的5个AcV-1分离物和已报道的新西兰分离物K75的外壳蛋白（coat protein，CP）基因序列进行比对，结果表明，分离物间核苷酸序列和氨基酸序列的相似性分别为84.8% ~ 97.1%和89.7% ~ 99.6%，其中除邛崃分离物HYH5与新西兰分离物K75的核苷酸序列相似性较高（97.1%）外，其余4个分离物均低于91%。系统进化分析结果显示，这些分离物主要聚集在3个分支上，分离物HYH5与新西兰分离物K75位于同一分支，其余分离物位于另外2个分支。     

利用CRISPR/Cas9系统敲除葡萄中VviEDR2提高对白粉病的抗性

利用CRISPR/Cas9系统定点编辑葡萄白粉病感病基因VviEDR2（Enhanced disease resistance 2），在VviEDR2的DUF1336结构域设计靶位点VviEDR2-T1，构建CRISPR/Cas9敲除载体，通过农杆菌介导法转化‘无核白’葡萄胚性愈伤组织。对PCR阳性植株进行靶位点扩增测序，结果表明，共有8个转基因植株在靶位点处发生不同类型的双等位基因突变，编辑效率为32%；突变体植株生长势较弱，叶片较小，茎秆丛生、细弱。进一步对突变体植株进行抗病检测，结果表明，接种葡萄白粉菌（Erysiphe necator Schw.）5 d后，突变体植株叶片上白粉菌孢子仅能萌发出少量较短初级菌丝，表皮细胞产生大量明显的H2O2，而野生型叶片中白粉菌萌发出大量初级菌丝、次级菌丝和吸器，无明显H2O2产生。这些结果表明，可以利用CRISPR/Cas9技术编辑葡萄感病基因VviEDR2，提高葡萄白粉菌抗性。     

依据显微结构及光合特性探讨蝴蝶兰花芽分化的时期

以蝴蝶兰‘大辣椒’为试验材料，对花芽分化进程及期间光合特性和碳水化合物、可溶性蛋白及激素含量的变化进行研究。结果表明：花芽长度为0、2、4、8、16和24 cm时，分别处于花芽分化初始期、花序原基分化期、花原基分化期、萼片原基分化期和花瓣原基分化期（16和24 cm）。蝴蝶兰叶片的净CO2吸收速率在花芽发育前期（0 ~ 4 cm）没有显著变化，花芽8 cm时显著降低。花芽中的碳水化合物和可溶性蛋白的含量显著高于叶片，碳水化合物在花芽长度为4 cm时达到稳定水平，可溶性蛋白含量在花芽8 cm时达到叶片与花芽的平衡；赤霉素（GA）的含量在花芽2 cm时达到最大值，生长素（IAA）含量在花芽4 cm时显著升高，玉米素（ZT）含量在花芽8 cm时显著降低，而ABA含量在花芽发育的过程中并没有显著变化。由此可知，当蝴蝶兰花芽开始分化萼片原基（8 cm）时，光合生理及生化物质基本达到一个相对稳定的水平，此阶段的蝴蝶兰花芽已彻底完成成花分化。     

枣AP2/ERF转录因子鉴定及其响应枣疯病植原体表达分析

利用生物信息学方法，从植物转录因子数据库和NCBI数据库中分别得到175和164个候选的枣AP2/ERF转录因子序列，使用DNAMAN软件进行序列比对、去除重复序列，采用SMART软件预测蛋白结构域发现，枣基因组中包含有145个AP2/ERF基因，其中ERF、AP2、RAV亚家族分别含有116个、23个、5个，另有1个独立基因。预测枣AP2/ERF转录因子氨基酸数量在111 ~ 692之间，分子量在12 446.87 ~ 76 154.10之间，pI在4.31 ~ 10.11之间。鉴定出的145个AP2/ERF转录因子，105个分别定位到12条染色体上，40个未能定位。在此基础上，利用嫁接病芽方法将枣疯病植原体转至健康枣植株，通过转录组测序和qRT-PCR手段，分析了AP2/ERF转录因子对枣植原体侵染的响应，在植原体侵染枣的6个不同时期，枣AP2/ERF表达数量和表达量均不相同，共有48个差异表达基因，其中ZjAP2*9、ZjERF49和ZjERF91是响应枣疯病植原体最为重要的AP2/ERF转录因子。     

大花君子兰叶绿体基因组及其特征

采用Illumina MiSeq测序平台对大花君子兰（Clivia miniata）叶片总DNA进行测序，通过组装获得了其叶绿体基因组（cpDNA）全长序列（158 114 bp）。对其cpDNA注释得到135个基因，包含87个蛋白编码基因、40个tRNA基因和8个rRNA基因。采用生物信息学方法对获得的cpDNA进行简单序列重复（SSR）分析和密码子偏好性分析。结果显示：①大花君子兰cpDNA中共有61个SSR位点，其中单核苷酸、二核苷酸、三核苷酸、四核苷酸、五核苷酸和六核苷酸重复数分别为38、9、2、8、3和1个，多数SSR分布在基因间隔区；②大花君子兰cpDNA密码子偏爱以A或U（T）结尾，亮氨酸使用频率最高，半胱氨酸使用频率最低。基于24种植物的cpDNA全长和23种植物的叶绿体ycf2基因序列进行系统发育分析，结果显示大花君子兰与石蒜科植物在同一分支，显示最近的亲缘关系，支持大花君子兰属于石蒜科。基于叶绿体ycf2的系统发育分析结果与基于cpDNA全长的系统发育分析研究结果大部分相同，支持ycf2基因可以代替cpDNA全长用于植物系统发育分析。     

番茄斑萎病毒病抗性种质筛选及人工接种鉴定方法优化

对154份番茄材料(包括普通番茄76份,樱桃番茄78份)进行两年两次田间番茄斑萎病毒病的病情指数调查,筛选出14份对番茄斑萎病毒病具有稳定抗性的番茄材料,利用sw-5-2共显性SCAR标记对田间表现抗病的材料进行分子标记鉴定,发现3份抗病材料携带抗番茄斑萎病毒病的Sw-5基因。为缩短番茄斑萎病毒病人工接种鉴定周期,以含有sw-5的抗病材料H8和感病材料M82为研究对象,设置4、6、8、10片真叶4个接种时期,分别在接种后14、21、28 d进行病情指数调查和抗性分级,结果表明,6片真叶期接种,接种后28 d进行病情调查即可有效鉴别植株番茄斑萎病毒病抗性,与8、10片真叶期接种效果相同,人工接种抗病性鉴定效率显著提升。