Identification of a class of CFEM proteins containing a new conserved motif in Fusarium oxysporum

Fusarium oxysporum (Fo) is an important soil-borne fungus that cause huge economic losses worldwide. Fungal-specific Common in Fungal Extracellular Membrane (CFEM) proteins are known to be involved in some important physiological processes associated with pathogenicity. To date, few Fo CFEM proteins have been characterized. The recent publication of several genomes of Fo has allowed us to conduct a genome-wide comparison analysis of CFEM proteins in Fo. In this study, we identified CFEM proteins for 12 different Fo formae speciales(f. sp) and obtained an average of 16 CFEM proteins for each Fo. The Fo CFEM proteins were classified into three groups (groups 1–3) according to structural features. Importantly, we identified a new conserved motif containing about 50 amino acids (DR motif) in group 1 members. CFEM proteins containing DR motif (CFEM_DR proteins) are remarkably conserved among Fo, and their number is greater in Fo compared with other fungi. We found the expansion of CFEM_DR proteins in Fo can be attributed to the segmental duplications in the genomes. Expression analysis revealed that CFEM_DR genes had a higher expression level in mycelium than conidia, and their expressions increased dramatically in the host roots at 3 days post inoculation, indicating that Fo CFEM_DR genes have roles while colonizing and infecting their hosts.     

Ancient Polyploidy and Modern Crop Plants

The growing set of fully-sequenced angiosperm genomes highlight the role of polyploidy in angiosperm evolution, and suggest that even the high level of importance we had already attributed to this mechanism was inadequate.     

大豆Abhydrolase_3基因家族进化分析

异黄酮是大豆的重要次生代谢物,参与植物与微生物互作。2-羟基异黄酮脱水酶(hydroxyisoflavanone dehydratase,HID)催化2-羟基异黄酮形成稳定的异黄酮。HID属于Abhydrolase_3基因家族,该基因家族具有多种功能,但该基因家族在大豆中的进化模式尚待研究。为了研究Abhydrolase_3基因家族在大豆中的进化模式,本文在大豆基因组中鉴定了62个Abhydrolase_3基因,串联和片段复制是该基因家族主要扩增方式。根据系统进化关系,将大豆Abhydrolase_3基因家族划分为8个亚家族,其中HID所在的亚家族I基因数量最多,并发生多次基因扩增事件。对大豆Abhydrolase_3基因家族结构分析表明,不同亚家族具有不同的基序。多态性分析表明,亚家族Ⅰ、Ⅲ和Ⅴ具有较高的核苷酸差异,并受到放松的自然选择。基因表达分析表明,除了亚家族II和IV外,其它亚家族的基因在大豆不同组织中有较高表达;亚家族Ⅰ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ、Ⅴ和Ⅵ基因受病原菌诱导表达。结果说明HID所在的亚家族I存在基因扩增和功能分化,与病原菌互作相关的基因具有较高的遗传多样性并受病原菌诱导表达。     

5种蔷薇科树种多酚氧化酶比较基因组学分析

蔷薇科植物中有多种具有重要价值的水果,如苹果、梨、桃、草莓和黑树莓等。这些水果普遍容易发生由多酚氧化酶(PPO)介导的酶促褐变而导致重大经济损失,从全基因组角度分析比较PPO基因家族,有助于加深对PPO基因家族和功能的认识。采用比较基因组学的方法,对这5种植物的PPO基因家族进行了基因鉴定、染色体定位、编码蛋白的亚细胞定位、内含子统计分析、基因系统进化、基因倍增与丢失等特征分析。从这5种植物中,共计鉴定出了42个PPO基因,其中6个基因被认定是假基因;绝大多数基因编码的蛋白定位于叶绿体,2个定位于线粒体,3个是分泌型蛋白;PPO基因在染色体上有串联重复和散布两种形式;9个基因具有内含子,聚类结果显示可以将它们分为6个类型,每个基因类型在进化过程中都发生过基因倍增和丢失;同型基因内含子的位置和大小具有相似性。这些结果揭示蔷薇科植物PPO基因内含子是伴随着基因倍增产生的,基因倍增也是推动PPO基因多样化的重要动力,PPO基因倍增和丢失差异导致PPO基因数量在不同物种之间产生差异。     

Role of miR-219 and TGFBR2 in pathogenesis of renal fibrosis

AIM:To study the role of microRNA-219 (miR-219) in regulation of transforming growth factor-β receptor type 2 (TGFBR2) in renal fibrosis. METHODS:The renal fibrosis patients (n=70) were selected in this stu-dy, and 20 cases of healthy people were selected as control group. RT-qPCR was used to detect the expression of miR-219 in the serum of the patients with renal fibrosis and control group, and the expression of miR-219 in NRK49F cells after stimulation with angiotensin Ⅱ(AngⅡ) was detected. The protein expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in the NRK49F cells transfected with miR-219 mimics after stimulation with AngⅡ was determined by Western blot. The potential target gene TGFBR2 of miR-219 was screened and verified by the method of luciferase reporter gene. RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to detected the effect of miR-219 mimics on the expression of TGFBR2 at mRNA and protein levels, and the mRNA expression of α-SMA, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), type I collagen α1 (COL1A1) and COL3A1 in the NRK49F cells was also detected, respectively. The unilateral ureteral occlusion (UUO) mouse model was established and the expression of miR-219 in the renal tissue was monitored. The morphological change of renal fibrosis was observed in the UUO mice after injection of miR-219, and the mRNA expression levels of COL1A1 and COL3A1 were detected. RESULTS:The expression level of miR-219 in the patients with renal fibrosis was significantly lower than that in control group, and the expression of miR-219 in the UUO mice was decreased significantly (P<0.01). The expression level of miR-219 was significantly decreased in the NRK49F cells after AngⅡ stimulation, and miR-219 mimics inhibited the protein expression of α-SMA(P<0.01). miR-219 mimics had a targeted regulatory effect on TGFBR2 gene, which inhibited the mRNA and protein expression of TGFBR2. miR-219 mimics inhibited the mRNA expression of α-SMA, CTGF, COL1A1 and COL3A1. miR-219 also down-regulated the mRNA expression of COL1A1 and COL3A1 in the UUO mice and inhibited the process of renal fibrosis. CONCLUSION:miR-219 inhibits the development of renal fibrosis by inhibiting the expression of TGFBR2, which may become a new target for the diagnosis and treatment of renal fibrosis.     

Effect of intravenous mannitol upon the resistive index in complete unilateral renal obstruction in dogs

Some studies have shown that relative to baseline, the renal resistive index (RI) remains unchanged in nonobstructed kidneys and increases in obstructed kidneys after administration of furosemide. To our knowledge, the effect of mannitol administration on the renal RI of dogs has not been reported. We evaluated the renal RI in 16 kidneys in 8 young adult dogs after administration of mannitol. The mean RI decreased significantly from baseline (P < .01). Additionally, left complete ureteral obstruction wasinduced in 5 dogs. Evaluation by Doppler ultrasonography was performed for 5 days. On the 5th day, Doppler examination was repeated at 30 and 60 minutes after administration of mannitol to obstructed dogs. After induction of left ureteral obstruction, the RI of the left kidney increased significantly over 5 consecutive days. Administration of mannitol decreased the RI in the nonobstructed contralateral kidneys, and thus the RI difference between obstructed and nonobstructed kidneys was increased above normal (P < .001). In conclusion, administration of mannitol may be useful as another diuretic agent to identify unilateral ureteral obstruction on Doppler sonographic examination.