Influence of the Structural Features of Carrageenans from Red Algae of the Far Eastern Seas on Their Antiviral Properties

The structural diversity and unique physicochemical properties of sulphated polysaccharides of red algae carrageenans (CRGs), to a great extent, determine the wide range of their antiviral properties. This work aimed to compare the antiviral activities of different structural types of CRGs: against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and enterovirus (ECHO-1). We found that CRGs significantly increased the resistance of Vero cells to virus infection (preventive effect), directly affected virus particles (virucidal effect), inhibited the attachment and penetration of virus to cells, and were more effective against HSV-1. CRG1 showed the highest virucidal effect on HSV-1 particles with a selective index (SI) of 100. CRG2 exhibited the highest antiviral activity by inhibiting HSV-1 and ECHO-1 plaque formation, with a SI of 110 and 59, respectively, when it was added before virus infection. CRG2 also significantly reduced the attachment of HSV-1 and ECHO-1 to cells compared to other CRGs. It was shown by molecular docking that tetrasaccharides—CRGs are able to bind with the HSV-1 surface glycoprotein, gD, to prevent virus–cell interactions. The revealed differences in the effect of CRGs on different stages of the lifecycle of the viruses are apparently related to the structural features of the investigated compounds.     

Potential Anti-Obesity,Anti-Steatosis,and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Extracts from the Microalgae Chlorella vulgaris and Chlorococcum amblystomatis under Different Growth Conditions

Microalgae are known as a producer of proteins and lipids, but also of valuable compounds for human health benefits (e.g., polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs); minerals, vitamins, or other compounds). The overall objective of this research was to prospect novel products, such as nutraceuticals from microalgae, for application in human health, particularly for metabolic diseases. Chlorella vulgaris and Chlorococcum amblystomatis were grown autotrophically, and C. vulgaris was additionally grown heterotrophically. Microalgae biomass was extracted using organic solvents (dichloromethane, ethanol, ethanol with ultrasound-assisted extraction). Those extracts were evaluated for their bioactivities, toxicity, and metabolite profile. Some of the extracts reduced the neutral lipid content using the zebrafish larvae fat metabolism assay, reduced lipid accumulation in fatty-acid-overloaded HepG2 liver cells, or decreased the LPS-induced inflammation reaction in RAW264.7 macrophages. Toxicity was not observed in the MTT assay in vitro or by the appearance of lethality or malformations in zebrafish larvae in vivo. Differences in metabolite profiles of microalgae extracts obtained by UPLC-LC-MS/MS and GNPS analyses revealed unique compounds in the active extracts, whose majority did not have a match in mass spectrometry databases and could be potentially novel compounds. In conclusion, microalgae extracts demonstrated anti-obesity, anti-steatosis, and anti-inflammatory activities and could be valuable resources for developing future nutraceuticals. In particular, the ultrasound-assisted ethanolic extract of the heterotrophic C. vulgaris significantly enhanced the anti-obesity activity and demonstrated that the alteration of culture conditions is a valuable approach to increase the production of high-value compounds.     

优质蛋白玉米选育的分子遗传途径

本文综述了opaque突变基因及其修饰基因的最新研究进展。从分子生物学角度分析了优质蛋白玉米育种过程中突变基因及修饰基因改善蛋白质品质和控制籽粒性状的遗传机理,提出了利用突变基因及修饰基因减少玉米醇溶蛋白,增进玉米品质的思路。     

不同栽培类型蓝莓遗传多样性的SSR分析

以南方地区的蓝莓品种为主要对象,利用SSR标记分析现有品种种质的遗传多样性。设计合成了56对蓝莓SSR分子标记引物,进行扩增和多态性引物筛选,将多态性好的引物用于66份蓝莓不同类型种质的遗传多样性分析。结果表明,56对引物均能扩增出预期大小条带,其中条带清晰多态性较好的引物为25对,占比引物数的44.64%,多数引物扩增的位点数在5~7个之间。25对引物在66份蓝莓供试种质中检测多态性,共检测到165个等位变异,平均每个位点有6.6个等位变异,PIC值变幅为0.656~0.947,平均值为0.777。多态性最好的引物Vc26可以检测到15个等位基因数目。北方高丛、南方高丛和兔眼类型66份蓝莓种质的遗传相似系数位于0.60~0.96之间,品种间遗传差异较丰富。利用UPGMA聚类将3种类型种质进行分析,发现除了兔眼类型品种‘红粉佳人’外,其余明显分为3个类群,且同一类型的种质基本聚在一起。结合不同类型种质的系谱分析,发现分类与品种种质的遗传成分相似有一定的相关。研究利用SSR分子标记揭示了蓝莓不同类型种质的遗传多样性,对今后杂交育种亲本选择利用有一定借鉴意义。     

植原体引起雪花木小叶病在中国的首次报道

2022年首次在广州市发现园林植物雪花木小叶病病株, 采用分子生物学技术对其进行植原体的种类鉴定。以雪花木叶片总DNA为模板, 利用植原体16S rRNA通用引物P1/P7进行PCR扩增, 获得广东雪花木小叶病植原体(BLL-GD2022)16S rRNA基因片段(1 811 bp, GenBank登录号为OQ625536)。16S rRNA序列相似性显示, BLL-GD2022与16SrVI组植原体株系的相似性最高, 为97.05%~99.83%, 其中与隶属于16SrVI-D亚组的10个植原体株系相似性为99.21%~99.83%。系统进化分析显示, BLL-GD2022与16SrVI组各植原体株系聚类在一个大分支, 其中与16SrVI-D亚组成员聚类在一个小分支, 亲缘关系最近。基于16S rRNA序列的iPhyClassifier限制性内切酶虚拟RFLP分析表明, BLL-GD2022与16SrVI-D亚组的参考株系Brinjal little leaf phytoplasma (GenBank登录号为X83431)的酶切图谱一致, 相似系数为1.00。基于上述研究结果, 明确广州市雪花木小叶病植原体隶属16SrVI-D亚组成员。本研究首次在园林植物雪花木上检测到植原体, 通过16S rRNA序列分析明确为16SrVI-D亚组成员, 为开展16SrVI-D亚组植原体在蔬菜、花卉和园林植物的发生监测及病害防控提供科学依据。     

贵州荞麦重要种质的遗传多样性分析及分子身份证构建

为精准鉴定贵州荞麦种质资源,采用SSR分子标记对60份荞麦种质进行遗传多样性分析,构建DNA分子身份证数据库。结果显示,从100对SSR引物中筛选出16对稳定性好、多态性丰富的引物,在60份供试种质中共扩增出174个多态性条带;Shannon’s信息指数、Nei’s多样性指数、多态信息指数均值分别为0.337、0.206、0.693,引物的多态性较好,能有效揭示60份荞麦种质的遗传多样性;在Dice遗传相似系数为0.374时,所有供试材料可聚为A、B、C 三组;当Dice遗传相似系数为0.484时,将苦荞组（A组）更细分为A1、A2两个小组。采用毛细管电泳及8%的聚丙烯酰胺凝胶（PAGE）电泳对SSR标记扩增产物进行双验证,2种方法的聚类结果一致。结果表明,本研究开发的高效性SSR分子标记能够有效地鉴定贵州荞麦重要种质的遗传多样性且用于构建分子身份证。     

华薯和鄂薯系列马铃薯品种晚疫病抗病基因及水平抗性相关基因SNP位点检测

鄂薯和华薯系列马铃薯品种是由湖北恩施中国南方马铃薯研究中心和华中农业大学马铃薯团队选育而成的品种.鄂薯系列马铃薯品种大多为中晚熟品种,适合西南山区种植;华薯系列马铃薯品种多为早熟品种,适于华中低山丘陵和平原地区种植.研究对2个系列品种部分晚疫病抗病基因进行了分子标记检测,同时对几个水平抗性相关基因SNP位点进行了检测....     

基于高通量测序及分离培养初步研究美国大豆中真菌多样性

中国是全球最大的大豆进口国,进境大豆所携带的病原真菌传入我国的风险极高.基于高通量测序技术对6批美国大豆真菌多样性进行分析,同时采用分离培养获得单一菌株,依据菌落形态、显微结构及分子技术进行鉴定.高通量测序结果显示,大豆中所有真菌共计5门15纲35目63科112属155种,主要为链格孢属(Alternaria)、球腔菌...     

Screening of Human CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 Inhibitors from Seaweed In Silico and In Vitro

Phenolic compounds and carotenoids are potential inhibitors of cytochrome P450s. Sixteen known compounds, phenolic compounds and carotenoids from seaweed were examined for potential inhibitory capacity against CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 in silico and in vitro. Morin, quercetin, and fucoxanthin inhibited the enzyme activity of CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 in a dose-dependent manner. The IC₅₀ values of morin, quercetin, and fucoxanthin were 41.8, 22.5, and 30.3 μM for CYP1A2 and 86.6, 16.1, and 24.4 μM for CYP3A4, respectively. Siphonaxanthin and hesperidin did not show any significant effect on CYP1A2, but they slightly inhibited CYP3A4 activity at high concentrations. In silico modeling of CYP’s binding site revealed that the potential inhibitors bound in the cavity located above the distal surface of the heme prosthetic group through the 2a or 2f channel of CYPs. This study presents an approach for quickly predicting CYP inhibitory activity and shows the potential interactions of compounds and CYPs through in silico modeling.     

利用SSR技术鉴定西瓜甜瓜种子纯度

利用SSR分子标记技术对西瓜‘W1806’与甜瓜‘M1805’各3个批次及其亲本间的多态性进行引物筛选和种子的纯度鉴定。结果表明,在28对西瓜的SSR引物中,有5对引物在西瓜‘W1806’的F1代与亲本之间有很好的多态性。其中BVWS00839引物特异性好,条带清晰,父母本条带间隔明显,即作为3个批次的西瓜纯度鉴定的引物,其鉴定纯度分别为99.47%、98.96%和97.92%;在18对甜瓜的SSR引物中,只有1对CMBR052引物在F1代扩出的条带为典型的双亲互补型条带,故用该引物对甜瓜进行纯度鉴定,其纯度分别为97.90%、96.80%和97.40%。与田间鉴定结果的吻合率都在98%以上。这2个材料的吻合率说明SSR分子标记技术对西瓜和甜瓜纯度鉴定结果都是可靠的。