The red bayberry genome and genetic basis of sex determination.

Morella rubra, red bayberry, is an economically important fruit tree in south China. Here, we assembled the first high-quality genome for both a female and a male individual of red bayberry. The genome size was 313-Mb, and 90% sequences were assembled into eight pseudo chromosome molecules, with 32 493 predicted genes. By whole-genome comparison between the female and male and association analysis with sequences of bulked and individual DNA samples from female and male, a 59-Kb region determining female was identified and located on distal end of pseudochromosome 8, which contains abundant transposable element and seven putative genes, four of them are related to sex floral development. This 59-Kb female-specific region was likely to be derived from duplication and rearrangement of paralogous genes and retained non-recombinant in the female-specific region. Sex-specific molecular markers developed from candidate genes co-segregated with sex in a genetically diverse female and male germplasm. We propose sex determination follow the ZW model of female heterogamety. The genome sequence of red bayberry provides a valuable resource for plant sex chromosome evolution and also provides important insights for molecular biology, genetics and modern breeding in Myricaceae family.

Mineralising and antibacterial effects of modified calcium phosphate treatment on human root cementum.

BACKGROUND: Aging population will lead to the increase of incidence of root caries globally. The clinical management of root caries is challenging due to the difficulty in moisture isolation. The root caries is caused by the release of organic acids from cariogenic bacteria which results in the dissolution of cementum and dentin of the root. The purpose of this study is to study the efficacy of modified saturated calcium phosphate solution (CaP) supplement with zinc (Zn(2+)) and/or fluoride (F(-)) in providing root cementum surfaces less susceptible to acid dissolution and bacterial colonization. METHODS: Human root cementum sections from extracted premolars were treated with three modified calcium phosphate solutions (M/A-CaPs) respectively: (A) CaP-F/Zn, supplemented with F(-) and Zn(2+); (B) CaP-F, supplemented with F(-) only; (C) CaP-Zn, supplemented with Zn(2+) only. The surface characteristics of treated cementum sections were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Following the acid attack and Streptococcus mutans challenge, M/A-CaPs treated cementum surfaces were analysed using inductive coupled plasma (ICP) and SEM respectively. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, M/A-CaPs treated cementum presented significant improvements in resistance to acid dissolution and bacterial colonization. Among M/A-CaPs, the CaP-F/Zn treated cementum surfaces released the lowest amount of Ca(2+) ions (2.11 ± 0.51 ppm) upon acid challenge (n = 3, p < 0.01) and also presented the most significant inhibiting effect against the colonization of S. mutans (n = 180, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Saturated calcium phosphate solution CaP supplemented with both F(-) and Zn(2+) could be applied as an effective coating material providing acid resistance and antibacterial property on cementum surfaces. The modified calcium phosphate-based solution could be a new treatment strategy to prevent the development of root caries and arrest the further progression of root caries.

Sequence-independent processing site of the C-terminal domain (CTD) influences maturation of the RgpB protease from Porphyromonas gingivalis.

The Gram-negative periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis produces a family of outer membrane-anchored proteases, the gingipains, shown to play an essential role in virulence of the organism. The C-terminal domain (CTD) of gingipains and other secreted proteins is known to be the targeting signal for maturation and translocation of the protein through the outer membrane. The CTD is subsequently cleaved during the secretion process. Multiple alignment of various CTDs failed to define a consensus sequence at the putative CTD processing site. Using mutagenesis, we were able to show that cleavage at the site is not dependent on a specific residue and that recognition of the site is independent of local sequence. Interestingly, length of the junction between the CTD and adjacent Ig-like subdomain has a critical influence on post-translational glycan modification of the protein, whereby insertion of additional residues immediately N-terminal to the cleavage site results in failure of glycan modification and release of soluble protease into the culture medium. Various hypotheses are presented to explain these phenomena. Knowledge of the role CTDs play in maturation of gingipains has broader application for understanding maturation of CTD homologues expressed by bacteria of the Bacteriodetes phylum.

Ratio of n-3/n-6 PUFAs and risk of breast cancer: a meta-analysis of 274135 adult females from 11 independent prospective studies.

BACKGROUND: Increased ratio of n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in diet or serum may have a protective effect on the risk of breast cancer (BC); however, the conclusions from prospective studies are still controversial. The purpose of this study is to ascertain the relationship between intake ratio of n-3/n-6 PUFAs and the risk of BC, and estimate the potential summarized dose-response trend. METHODS: Relevant English-language studies were identified through Cochrane Library, PubMed and EMBASE database till April 2013. Eligible prospective studies reporting the multivariate adjusted risk ratios (RRs) for association of n-3/n-6 PUFAs ratio in diet or serum with BC risk. Data extraction was conducted independently by 2 investigators; disagreements were reconciled by consensus. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Study-specific RRs were combined via a random-effects model. RESULTS: Six prospective nested case-control and 5 cohort studies, involving 8,331 BC events from 274,135 adult females across different countries, were included in present study. Subjects with higher dietary intake ratio of n-3/n-6 PUFAs have a significantly lower risk of BC among study populations (pooled RR = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.82, 0.99), and per 1/10 increment of ratio in diet was associated with a 6% reduction of BC risk (pooled RR = 0.94; 95% CI: 0.90, 0.99; P for linear trend = 0.012). USA subjects with higher ratio of n-3/n-6 in serum phospholipids (PL) have a significantly lower risk of BC (pooled RR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.39, 0.97; I2 = 0.00%; P for metaregression = 0.103; P for a permutation test = 0.100), and per 1/10 increment of ratio in serum PL was associated with 27% reduction of BC risk (pooled RR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.59, 0.91; P for linear trend = 0.004; P for metaregression = 0.082; P for a permutation test = 0.116). CONCLUSIONS: Higher intake ratio of n-3/n-6 PUFAs is associated with lower risk of BC among females, which implies an important evidence for BC prevention and treatment is by increasing dietary intake ratio of n-3/n-6 PUFA. No firm conclusions from USA populations could be obtained, due to the limited numbers of USA studies.

An-jun-ning, a traditional herbal formula, attenuates spontaneous withdrawal symptoms via modulation of the dopamine system in morphine-dependent rats.

BACKGROUND: The dopamine system, which is involved in drug dependence, can be damaged by opioid abuse. However, current clinical medicines cannot reverse these damages in the brain, which are believed to be a key reason for the high relapse rate after abstinence treatment. This study aimed to investigate the effects of An-jun-ning (AJN), a commercial traditional Chinese medicine formula used for the treatment of opioid addiction, on the dopamine system in morphine-dependent rats and to explore the possible mechanism underlying its therapeutic effects. METHODS: The morphine dependence model was obtained through injections of morphine at increasing doses for 8 days. The AJN pre-treatment group was administered AJN 30 min before each morphine administration, and the AJN post-treatment groups were treated with AJN for 10 days after withdrawal. Spontaneous withdrawal symptoms (wet dog shakes, and episodes of writhing) were observed after withdrawal. Autoradiography study and/or immunohistochemical staining were used to examine the levels of dopamine transporter (DAT), dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). RESULTS: (1) Pre-treatment with AJN attenuates wet dog shakes and episodes of writhing to approximately 50% or less of those observed in the morphine group (p < 0.01). (2) AJN post-treatment dose-dependently reduced the number of wet dog shakes (p < 0.01), and the episodes of writhing (p < 0.01). (3) Pre-treatment with AJN effectively interdicted the morphine-induced decreases in the levels of DAT, D2R, and TH in the striatum (p < 0.01) such that they remained at nearly normal levels. (4) Post-treatment with AJN restored DAT and D2R to the normal levels (p < 0.01) and the level of TH to 87% of normal in the striatum. CONCLUSIONS: AJN can effectively alleviate opioid withdrawal symptoms and preserve or restore the DAT, D2R, and TH levels in the striatum. The mechanism underlying the effect of AJN on withdrawal symptoms may be related to the modulation of the dopamine system by AJN. These results suggest that AJN may help to prevent relapse in opioid dependence treatment.

The role of heme binding by DNA-protective protein from starved cells (Dps) in the Tolerance of Porphyromonas gingivalis to heme toxicity.

The widely expressed DNA-protective protein from starved-cells (Dps) family proteins are considered major contributors to prokaryotic resistance to stress. We show here that Porphyromonas gingivalis Dps (PgDps), previously described as an iron-storage and DNA-binding protein, also mediates heme sequestration. We determined that heme binds strongly to PgDps with an apparent K(d) of 3.7 × 10(-8) m and is coordinated by a single surface-located cysteine at the fifth axial ligand position. Heme and iron sequestered in separate sites by PgDps provide protection of DNA from H(2)O(2)-mediated free radical damage and were found to be important for growth of P. gingivalis under excess heme as the only iron source. Conservation of the heme-coordinating cysteine among Dps isoforms from the Bacteroidales order suggests that this function may be a common feature within these anaerobic bacteria.

Characterization of a hemophore-like protein from Porphyromonas gingivalis.

The porphyrin auxotrophic pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis obtains the majority of essential iron and porphyrin from host hemoproteins. To achieve this, the organism expresses outer membrane gingipains containing cysteine proteinase domains linked to hemagglutinin domains. Heme mobilized in this way is taken up by P. gingivalis through a variety of potential portals where HmuY/HmuR of the hmu locus are best described. These receptors have relatively low binding affinities for heme. In this report, we describe a novel P. gingivalis protein, HusA, the product of PG2227, which rapidly bound heme with a high binding constant at equilibrium of 7 × 10(-10) M. HusA is both expressed on the outer membrane and released from the organism. Spectral analysis indicated an unusual pattern of binding where heme was ligated preferentially as a dimer. Further, the presence of dimeric heme induced protein dimer formation. Deletional inactivation of husA showed that expression of this moiety was essential for growth of P. gingivalis under conditions of heme limitation. This finding was in accord with the pronounced increase in gene expression levels for husA with progressive reduction of heme supplementation. Antibodies reactive against HusA were detected in patients with chronic periodontitis, suggesting that the protein is expressed during the course of infection by P. gingivalis. It is predicted that HusA efficiently sequesters heme from gingipains and fulfills the function of a high affinity hemophore-like protein to meet the heme requirement for growth of P. gingivalis during establishment of infection.

Storage media and not extraction method has the biggest impact on recovery of bacteria from the oral microbiome.

Next Generation sequencing has greatly progressed the exploration of the oral microbiome's role in dental diseases, however, there has been little focus on the effect of sample storage conditions and their interaction with DNA extraction method. Dental plaque samples collected from 20 healthy participants were pooled and stored in either 75% ethanol or Bead solution for up to 6-months at -80 °C, prior to DNA extraction with either QIAamp (non-bead beating) or PowerSoil (bead-beating) kit, followed by Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. We found that storage media and not extraction method had the biggest influence on the diversity and abundance of the oral microbiota recovered. Samples stored in Bead solution, independent of the extraction kit, retrieved higher diversity (PowerSoil p = 1.64E-07, QIAamp p = 0.0085) and had dissimilar overall ecologies as indicated by lower level of shared diversity (PowerSoil p = 0.0000237, QIAamp p = 0.0088). Comparatively, samples stored in Bead solution and extracted with PowerSoil recovered a higher abundance of Streptococcus species. These data indicate that Bead solution can preserve the oral microbiome in dental plaque reliably, for periods of up to 6-months at -80 °C, and is compatible, with either a bead-beating or non-bead beating DNA extraction method.

A novel function of artesunate on inhibiting migration and invasion of fibroblast-like synoviocytes from rheumatoid arthritis patients.

INTRODUCTION: Anti-malarial drug artesunate can suppress inflammation and prevent cartilage and bone destruction in collagen-induced arthritis model in rats-suggesting it may be a potent drug for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) therapy. We aimed to investigate its effect on the invasive property of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) from patients with RA. METHODS: Synovial tissues were obtained by closed needle biopsy from active RA patients, and FLS were isolated and cultured in vitro. RA-FLS were treated with artesunate at various concentrations, while methotrexate or hydroxychloroquine was employed as comparator drugs. Cell viability, proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and pseudopodium formation of RA-FLS were assessed by CCK-8 assays, EdU staining, Annexin V-FITC/PI staining, transwell assays, or F-actin staining, respectively. Further, relative changes of expressed proteases were analyzed by Proteome profiler human protease array and verified by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), Western blot, and ELISA. The expression of signaling molecules of MAPK, NF-κB, AP-1, and PI3K/Akt pathways were measured by qPCR and Western blot. PDK-1 knockdown by specific inhibitor AR-12 or siRNA transfection was used to verify the pharmacological mechanism of artesunate on RA-FLS. RESULTS: Artesunate significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of RA-FLS in a dose-dependent manner with or without TNF-α stimulation. The effect was mediated through artesunate inhibition of MMP-2 and MMP-9 production, and pre-treatment with exogenous MMP-9 reversed the inhibitory effect of artesunate on RA-FLS invasion. Artesunate had a stronger inhibitory effect on migration and invasion of RA-FLS as well as greater anti-inflammatory effect than those of hydroxychloroquine. Similar inhibitory effect was detected between artesunate and methotrexate, and synergy was observed when combined. Mechanistically, artesunate significantly inhibited PDK-1 expression as well as Akt and RSK2 phosphorylation-in a similar manner to PDK-1-specific inhibitor AR-12 or PDK-1 knockdown by siRNA transfection. This inhibition results in suppression of RA-FLS migration and invasion as well as decreased MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates artesunate is capable of inhibiting migration and invasion of RA-FLS through suppression of PDK1-induced activation of Akt and RSK2 phosphorylation-suggesting that artesunate may be a potential disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug for RA.

Structural properties of a haemophore facilitate targeted elimination of the pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a keystone bacterial pathogen of chronic periodontitis. P. gingivalis is unable to synthesise the porphyrin macrocycle and relies on exogenous porphyrin, including haem or haem biosynthesis intermediates from host sources. We show that under the iron-limited conditions prevailing in tissue environments, P. gingivalis expresses a haemophore-like protein, HusA, to mediate the uptake of essential porphyrin and support pathogen survival within epithelial cells. The structure of HusA, together with titration studies, mutagenesis and in silico docking, show that haem binds in a hydrophobic groove on the α-helical structure without the typical iron coordination seen in other haemophores. This mode of interaction allows HusA to bind to a variety of abiotic and metal-free porphyrins with higher affinities than to haem. We exploit this unusual porphyrin-binding activity of HusA to target a prototypic deuteroporphyrin-metronidazole conjugate with restricted antimicrobial specificity in a Trojan horse strategy that effectively kills intracellular P. gingivalis.

fat-1 mice prevent high-fat plus high-sugar diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

High-fat and high-sugar (HFS) diets have been suggested to play a causal role in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aimed to investigate whether fat-1 transgenic mice with a higher tissue content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) could prevent HFS diet-induced NAFLD, compared with wild-type mice. The fat-1 and wild-type littermates had free access to a 15% fructose solution plus high-fat diet, a 15% glucose solution plus high-fat diet, or a 15% sucrose solution plus high-fat diet, respectively. Caloric intake, weight gain, biochemical parameters, histology, and gene and protein expression levels were measured after 8 weeks of intervention. Liquid intake in glucose- or sucrose-fed mice was about 2-fold compared with that in fructose-fed mice. The wild-type mice given glucose showed the highest total caloric intake and weight gain compared to the other groups. The serum concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and alanine transaminase (ALT) were significantly lowered in fat-1 groups compared with their paired wild-type groups. Histological analysis showed that the wild-type groups fed the HFS diets developed hepatic lipid accumulation and steatosis, compared with the fat-1 groups. The gene and protein expression levels involved in fatty acid synthesis and the toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 signaling pathway were significantly inhibited in the fat-1 groups compared with the wild-type groups. The endogenously synthesized n-3 PUFAs of the three fat-1 groups, which inhibit fatty acid synthesis and the TLR-4 signaling pathway, prevent HFS diet-induced NAFLD.