一个CRISPR/Cas9-VQR基因编辑系统的构建

CRISPR/Cas9系统是一种广泛应用于细菌、酵母、动物和植物中的基因组定点编辑技术,但该编辑系统的使用范围受PAM (proto-spacer-motif)位点NGG的限制。本研究通过突变Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9)编码氨基酸(1135位的天冬氨酸D突变成缬氨酸V, 1335位的精氨酸R突变为谷胱氨酸Q, 1337位的苏氨酸T突变为精氨酸R,命名该突变子为Cas9-VQR)改造其识别PAM为NGA的位点以扩大其使用范围。并使用玉米Ubi启动子启动Cas9-VQR基因、优化SpCas9的密码子、加入保守的核定位信号序列、增加单子叶植物中保守的3′UTR序列和使用水稻U6启动子启动gRNA来修饰该编辑系统。结果表明Cas9-VQR系统能够识别PAM为NGA的位点,并进行有效的切割。体外酶切活性检测结果表明Cas9-VQR的切割效率为5%～70%。水稻转化检测结果表明Cas9-VQR的切割效率约为27.5%～70.5%,平均切割效率为46.23%。本研究拓宽了CRISPR/Cas9系统在作物中的使用范围,特别是NGA PAM位点较高的作物。     

Cepharanthine induces autophagy via PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells

AIM: To investigate the autophagy of human ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells induced by cepharanthine and to explore its mechanism. METHODS: The effect of cepharanthine on the viability of ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells was measured by CCK-8 assay. The SKOV3 cells were treated with cepharanthine, and then the formation of autophagosome was observed with acridine orange staining under fluorescence microscope. The protein levels of LC3, AKT, p-AKT, mTOR, p-mTOR and GAPDH in the SKOV3 cells treated with cepharanthine were determined by Western blot.RESULTS: Cepharanthine significantly inhibited the viability of ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). The number of the intracellular acidic autophagosomes with bright red fluorescence was significantly increased after cepharanthine treatment in the SKOV3 cells. The expression of LC3-Ⅱ in SKOV3 cells was significantly enhanced after cepharanthine treatment. Furthermore, treatment with cepharanthine in the SKOV3 cells also resulted in a significant down-regulation of phosphorylated form of AKT and mTOR (P<0.01), while the total protein level was not changed. Combination of cepharanthine and 3-methyladenine resulted in a substantial decrease in the cell viability compared with using cepharanthine alone.CONCLUSION: Cepharanthine significantly inhibits the growth of human ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells and induces the autophagy, which may be correlated with down-regulation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.     

利用CRISPR/Ca9技术靶向编辑芥蓝BoaZDS

以芥蓝(Brassicaoleraceavar.alboglabra)为材料,以ζ–胡萝卜素脱氢酶(ζ-Carotene desaturase,ZDS)基因为目标基因,建立其CRISPR/Cas9基因组编辑体系。在BoaZDS的编码区近5′端选择靶位点,构建了CRISPR/Cas9表达载体,通过农杆菌介导的遗传转化方法获得了19个芥蓝转基因阳性植株,Sanger测序分析发现其中13株成功突变,CRISPR/Cas9载体在芥蓝上的突变效率为68.42%,且所有突变植株均表现出明显的白化表型。     

基于转录组测序的半滑舌鳎长链非编码RNA的初步鉴定与分析

以抗病家系与易感家系半滑舌鳎为材料,进行哈维弧菌感染实验,并对易感家系感染前(CsSU)、易感家系感染后(CsSC)、抗病家系感染前(CsRU)、抗病家系感染后(CsRC)4组进行转录组测序,根据RNA-seq数据挖掘半滑舌鳎长链非编码RNA信息;通过生物信息学分析,筛选出与抗哈维弧菌病相关的差异长链非编码RNA(long non-coding RNA, lncRNA)。结果显示,共识别出4 584个lncRNA座位,包含5 714个转录本;其基本特征与编码基因的比较分析,lncRNA的GC含量低于编码基因,单外显子基因数多于编码基因,转录本的平均长度长于编码基因,基因表达量低于编码基因。对4组样品进行两两比较(CsRU vs CsSU、CsRC vs CsSC、CsRC vs CsRU、CsSC vs CsSU)分别筛选出818、813、261、140个差异表达lncRNA,其中CsRU与CsSU之间、CsRC与CsSC之间lncRNA数目差异最多,通过聚类分析确定了各实验组的表达模式之间的联系,CsRU与CsSU之间的表达模式最为相近。通过共表达分析,预测出lncRNA和274个编码基因可能存在14 539种相互关系,并进行了功能注释,进而筛选出7个关键lncRNA。qRT-PCR结果显示,差异表达lncRNAs的表达模式和转录组数据得到的基本一致。研究结果为揭示lncRNA在半滑舌鳎抗哈维弧菌免疫调控反应中的作用提供重要的参考数据。     

Effects of sediment load on the abrasion of soil aggregate and hydraulic parameters in experimental overland flow

The breakdown of soil aggregates under rainfall and their abrasion in overland flow are important processes in water erosion due to the production of more fine and transportable particles and, the subsequent significant effect on the erosion intensity. Currently, little is known about the effects of sediment load on the soil aggregate abrasion and the relationship of this abrasion with some related hydraulic parameters. Here, the potential effects of sediment load on soil aggregate abrasion and hydraulic parameters in overland flow were investigated through a series of experiments in a 3.8-m-long hydraulic flume at the slope gradients of 8.7 and 26.8%, unit flow discharges from 2×10~(–3) to 6×10~(–3) m~2 s~(-1), and the sediment concentration from 0 to 110 kg m~(–3). All the aggregates from Ultisols developed Quaternary red clay, Central China. The results indicated that discharge had the most significant(P0.01) effect on the aggregates abrasion with the contributions of 58.76 and 60.34%, followed by sediment feed rate, with contributions of 39.66 and 34.12% at the slope gradients of 8.7 and 26.8%, respectively. The abrasion degree of aggregates was found to increase as a power function of the sediment concentration. Meanwhile, the flow depth, friction factor, and shear stress increased as a power function along with the increase of sediment concentration at different slope gradients and discharges. Reynolds number was obviously affected by sediment concentration and it decreased as sediment concentration increased. The ratio of the residual weight to the initial weight of soil aggregates(Wr/Wi) was found to increase as the linear function with an increasing flow depth(P=0.008) or Reynolds number(P=0.002) in the sediment-laden flow. The Wr/Wi values followed a power function decrease with increasing friction factor or shear stress in the sediment-laden flow, indicating that friction factor is the best hydraulic parameter for prediction of soil aggregate abrasion under different sediment load conditions. The information regarding the soil aggregate abrasion under various sediment load conditions can facilitate soil process-based erosion modeling.     

不同温度下圆叶决明降解过程红壤可溶性氮及氮水解酶动态变化研究

为了探明圆叶决明（Chamaecrista rotundifolia）降解过程果园红壤供氮水平的变化规律，本研究采用模拟培养试验，研究15℃和25℃培养果园红壤硝态氮、铵态氮、可溶性总氮、可溶性有机氮含量的变化及脲酶、蛋白酶、天冬酰胺酶活性的变化。结果表明，圆叶决明降解过程果园红壤4种可溶性氮含量均显著提高，且在培养140 d达到最大值，25℃培养的效果更佳。其中，可溶性总氮、可溶性有机氮和硝态氮含量随时间的动态变化可用三次曲线方程来拟合。圆叶决明降解过程还能显著提高脲酶、蛋白酶和天冬酰胺酶的活性，其中蛋白酶活性和脲酶活性的变化可用指数方程和三次曲线方程来拟合。本研究认为圆叶决明降解过程可提高果园红壤可溶性氮含量，因此可通过翻压圆叶决明提高土壤的供氮水平。     

含刚性沉水植物明渠水流结构的试验研究

【目的】得到含刚性沉水植物明渠的水流结构。【方法】采用粒子图像测速仪(PIV),用有机玻璃棒模拟刚性植物,在不同来水流量、植物密度条件下对明渠水流结构进行了试验研究。【结果】无植物时平均流速沿垂向呈对数分布规律,有植物时则呈现明显的分区分布特性。无植物时紊动强度值沿垂向变化不大,有植物时在植物顶端位置处紊动最剧烈。流量或植物密度越大,植物顶端位置的流速梯度就越大,植物层上方的流速最大值也越大。植物密度越大,植物顶端位置的紊动强度越大,植物密度对水流紊动强度由最大值减小到最小值的区域影响很大。【结论】刚性沉水植物的存在会改变水流结构,增强紊动掺混,增强流体质点交换和能量传递,且上述影响会随着流量或植物密度的增大而增强。     

秸秆还田配施氮肥对稻田土壤活性碳氮动态变化的影响

【目的】土壤微生物量碳氮和水溶性有机碳氮是土壤中最活跃的碳氮组分,是衡量土壤碳氮周转与养分有效性的重要指标。探讨秸秆配施氮肥、氮肥用量及基追比例对稻田土壤微生物量碳氮、水溶性有机碳氮、易氧化有机碳和速效氮的影响,明确秸秆还田条件下水稻生长季不同氮肥用量与基追比的土壤活性碳氮变化特征,为稻麦轮作区秸秆还田的氮肥管理提供理论依据。【方法】2012—2015年在湖北省荆门市田间试验中设置施氮量、秸秆配施氮肥和施氮时期3个大田试验。施氮量：不施氮（N0）,推荐施氮（165 kg·hm ^-2,N165）,习惯施氮（195 kg·hm ^-2,N195）;秸秆配施氮肥：秸秆移除（CK）,秸秆还田（移栽前将上季小麦秸秆全部还田,S）,秸秆还田+习惯施氮量（SN）,秸秆还田+推荐施氮量（SF）,秸秆还田+推荐施氮量+腐解菌剂（SM）;施氮时期：基施﹕拔节期﹕抽穗期氮肥施用比例为7﹕3﹕0（R1）,5﹕3﹕2（R2）,10﹕0﹕0（R3）。【结果】秸秆还田+习惯施氮量（SN）显著提高了水稻拔节期土壤微生物量碳（SMBC）含量,但是其成熟期水溶性有机碳含量（DOC）显著降低。秸秆还田+推荐施氮量（SF）显著提高了水稻拔节期土壤水溶性有机氮含量（DON）。腐解菌剂的施用显著降低了水稻成熟期DON含量,拔节期易氧化有机碳含量（ROC）也显著降低。秸秆还田下增加氮肥用量显著提高了水稻抽穗期和灌浆期土壤速效氮含量（AN）;推荐施氮处理（165 kg N·hm ^-2）的DON和AN含量显著升高;农民习惯施氮处理（195 kg N·hm ^-2）降低了DON和AN含量;增加追施氮肥比例对土壤SMBC和DOC含量无明显影响,但提高了水稻拔节期SMBN和ROC含量。【结论】施氮量及其基追比是影响秸秆还田下稻田土壤活性碳氮含量的主要因素,合理配施氮肥能提高土壤微生物量碳、速效氮及水溶性有机氮等活性碳氮组分含量,增加追肥比例也能提高水稻生育期内土壤活性碳氮含量。     

β-carotene attenuates weaning-induced apoptosis via inhibition of PERK-CHOP and IRE1-JNK/p38 MAPK signalling pathways in piglet jejunum

Weaning may cause oxidative injury, immune response impairment, apoptosis and other injuries in piglets. Oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) can elicit inflammatory responses, and persistent oxidative and ERS also may lead to apoptotic cascades, which is associated with the pathogenesis of multiple diseases. β-carotene, a natural carotenoid, has potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant functions. However, the effect of β-carotene on apoptosis in weaned piglets and the detailed molecular mechanism remain unclear. In this study, we found that β-carotene decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in piglet serum. β-carotene could inhibit the mRNA levels of caspase-3 significantly, but had no significant inhibitory effect of the mRNA levels of caspase-9 and caspase-12 in the piglet jejunum. In addition, β-carotene decreased the activation of GRP78, CHOP, and JNK/p38 MAPK and the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2. Furthermore, β-carotene had a significant influence on the activation of ERS and apoptosis-related signals in TG-induced IPEC-J2. In the present study, β-carotene pre-treatment attenuated the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and prevented TG-induced increases in the level of PERK-CHOP and IRE1-JNK/p38 MAPK pathway activation in a dose-dependent manner. Overall, these findings indicate that β-carotene may protect weaning-induced apoptosis through inhibiting ERS.