Adaptive Evolution of Chalcone Isomerase Superfamily in Fagaceae.

Chalcone Isomerase (CHI) catalyzes the biosynthesis of flavonoids and secondary metabolism in plants. Currently, there is no systematic analysis of CHIs gene family in Fagaceae which is available. In this study, twenty-two CHI proteins were identified in five species of the Fagaceae family. The CHI superfamily in Fagaceae can be classified into three subfamilies and five groups using phylogenetic analysis, analysis of physicochemical properties, and structural prediction. Results indicated that serine (Ser) and isoleucine (Ile) residues determine the substrate preferred by active Type I Fagaceae CHI, and the chalcone isomerase-like (CHIL) of Fagaceae had active site residues. Adaptive analysis of CHIs showed that CHIs are subject to selection pressure. The active CHI gene of Fagaceae was located in the cytoplasm, and it had the typical gene structure of CHI and contains four exons. All the twenty-two identified CHIs had the conserved domain motif 3, and the different groups had their own structural characteristics. In the process of fatty acid binding protein (FAP) evolution to CHIL and CHI, the physical and chemical properties of proteins also had significant differences in addition to changes in protein functions.

Microphotoelectrochemical Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy: Toward Bridging Hot-Electron Transfer with a Molecular Reaction.

The rational design and applications of plasmon-mediated chemical reactions (PMCRs) are fundamentally determined by an understanding of photon-electron-molecule interactions. However, the current understanding of the PMCR of plasmon-decayed hot electron-mediated reactions remains implicit, since there has not been a single measurement of both hot-electron transfer and molecular transformation following photon excitation. Therefore, we invented a method called microphotoelectrochemical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (µPEC-SERS) that uses an ultramicroelectrode (UME) whose dimensions match those of the focused laser spot. This system can simultaneously record the photocurrent (∼picoamps) of hot-electron transfer with a high signal-to-noise ratio and the SERS spectra of a molecular reaction in the same electrode area. The responses of the photocurrent and SERS spectra to laser illumination can correlate the surface reaction activated by hot electrons with the SERS spectral changes. A typical PMCR of p-aminothiophenol (PATP) on a Ag UME was used to illustrate that the correlation of the photocurrent with the spectral changes is capable of revealing the reaction mechanism in terms of the formation of activated oxygenated species. The laser power-, laser wavelength-, and surface roughness-dependent photocurrents link the formation of activated oxygenated species to the hot-electron transfer. Further comparisons of the photocurrent with the conventional electrochemical current of the oxygen reduction reaction indicate that the activated oxygenated species are oxidative in transforming PATP to p,p'-dimercaptoazobenzene, which is supported by a density functional theory (DFT) calculation. Therefore, µPEC-SERS could be a powerful tool for investigating PMCRs and other systems involving photon-electron-molecule interactions.

RIP2 deficiency attenuates cardiac hypertrophy, inflammation and fibrosis in pressure overload induced mice.

Although the pathological cardiac hypertrophy presents a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying the disease is still poor. Here, we reported that receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 2 (RIP2), promoting pro-inflammatory gene expression, enhanced the pathological cardiac hypertrophy in animals. The effects of RIP2 on the cardiac hypertrophy triggered by pathological stimuli have not been fully investigated. In our study, mice were subjected to aortic banding (AB) surgery to explore the pathological, echocardiographic and molecular mechanisms. RIP2 expressed highly in cardiomyocytes after AB operation in wild type (WT) mice. RIP2-knockout (KO) attenuated cardiac hypertrophy, inflammation and fibrosis in mice 4 weeks after AB-surgery. First, RIP2 knockout down-regulated hypertrophic markers of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and ß-myosin heavy chain (ß-MHC) in the heart of AB-operated mice.in addition, RIP2-deficiency reduced toll-like receptor 4/myeloid differentiation factor 88/nuclear factor kappa B (TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB) activation, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) phosphorylation and transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1)/SMADs expressions, contributing to the suppression of inflammatory response and fibrosis, as further evidenced by down-regulated pro-inflammatory cytokines, including Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6 and IL-18, as well as fibrosis markers of Collagen I, Collagen III and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Taken together, our data indicated that RIP2-deficience ameliorated cardiac hypertrophy, inflammation and fibrosis through modulating multiple signaling pathways.

IR spectrum simulation of molecular structure model of Shendong coal vitrinite by using quantum chemistry method.

The structure of coal needs to be understood from a molecular point of view for clean, effective and high value-added utilization of coal. In the literature, molecular structure model of Shendong coal vitrinite (SV) was established by the authors on the basis of experimental results of ultimate analysis and 13C NMR, and the calculated 13C NMR spectrum of SV model was consistent with the experimental spectrum. In order to further verify the accuracy of SV structure model established by the authors, the infrared spectrum of SV structure model was calculated using quantum chemistry semi-empirical VAMP in this thesis. The results showed that the peak shape of calculated IR spectrum of SV structure model was similar to the experiment's, but the wave number of calculated IR spectrum was obviously higher than that of experimental spectrum. According to the calculated results for model compounds by using the same method, calculated vibrational frequency was higher than that of experiment for the same functional groups. Hence, the calculated IR spectrum should be corrected. After correction the calculated IR spectrum of SV structure model matched well with the experimental spectrum. In other words, the SV structure model can truly reflect the structure characteristics of SV.

Metabolome and transcriptome analysis of eleutheroside B biosynthesis pathway in Eleutherococcus senticosus.

Eleutheroside B (syringin) is a medicinal active ingredient extracted from Eleutherococcus senticosus (Ruper. et Maxim.) Maxim with high clinical application value. However, its synthesis pathway remains unknown. Here, we analyzed the eleutheroside B biosynthesis pathway in E. senticosus. Consequently, metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses identified 461 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 425 metabolites. Further, we identified 7 DEGs and 67 metabolites involved in the eleutheroside B biosynthetic pathway in the eleutheroside B high and low plants. The correlation between the gene and metabolites was explored using the pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) analysis. Caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase, caffeic acid-O-methyltransferase, ß-amyrin synthase (ß-AS) genes, NAC5, and HB5 transcription factors were identified as candidate genes and transcription factors related to the eleutheroside B synthesis. Eleutheroside B content was the highest at the young stage of the leaves both in the high and low eleutheroside B plants. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that phenylalanine ammonia-lyase1, cinnamate 4-hydroxylase, ß-AS, and leucoanthocyanidin reductase gene had higher expression levels at the young stage of the leaves in the low eleutheroside B plants but lower expression levels in the high eleutheroside B plants. In the present study, we complemented the eleutheroside B biosynthetic pathway by analyzing the expression levels of relevant genes and metabolite accumulation patterns.

CircFAM120B knockdown inhibits osteosarcoma tumorigenesis via the miR-1205/PTBP1 axis.

BACKGROUND: Osteosarcoma (OS) is a highly prevalent bone malignancy with poor clinical outcomes. Expression of the circular RNA, hsa_circ_0078767 (circFAM120B) is elevated in OS, however, its mechanisms in OS are unclear. METHODS: CircFAM120B levels were detected in OS tissue and cell lines. Silenced circFAM120B experiments were performed to assess its effects on OS in vitro cancer phenotypes and in vivo tumor growth. Then, bioinformatics analyses were used to predict circFAM120B target microRNAs (miRNAs) and associated genes. RESULTS: CircFAM120B and the transcription factor, PTBP1 were elevated in OS tissue and cell lines, while miR-1205 was poorly expressed. Silenced circFAM120B significantly suppressed in vitro OS cell proliferation and invasion, and inhibited in vivo tumor growth. CircFAM120B also appeared to function as an miR-1205 sponge, as miR-1205 bound to PTBP1. Interestingly, overexpressed PTBP1 (or miR-1205 inhibition) reversed the inhibitory effects mediated by circFAM120B downregulation in OS cells. CONCLUSION: We hypothesize circFAM120B functions as a miR-1205 sponge to elevate PTBP1 levels, enhancing OS progression and associated malignant phenotypes. Thus, circFAM120B may function as a crucial mediator during OS progression.

Changes in spatial patterns of Caragana stenophylla along a climatic drought gradient on the Inner Mongolian Plateau.

Few studies have investigated the influence of water availability on plant population spatial patterns. We studied changes in the spatial patterns of Caragana stenophylla along a climatic drought gradient within the Inner Mongolian Plateau, China. We examined spatial patterns, seed density, "nurse effects" of shrubs on seedlings, transpiration rates and water use efficiency (WUE) of C. stenophylla across semi-arid, arid, and intensively arid zones. Our results showed that patches of C. stenophylla populations shifted from a random to a clumped spatial pattern towards drier environments. Seed density and seedling survival rate of C. stenophylla decreased from the semi-arid zone to the intensively arid zone. Across the three zones, there were more C. stenophylla seeds and seedlings underneath shrub canopies than outside shrub canopies; and in the intensively arid zone, there were almost no seeds or seedlings outside shrub canopies. Transpiration rates of outer-canopy leaves and WUE of both outer-canopy and inner-canopy leaves increased from the semi-arid zone to the intensively arid zone. In the intensively arid zone, transpiration rates and WUE of inner-canopy leaves were significantly lower and higher, respectively, than those of outer-canopy leaves. We conclude that, as drought stress increased, seed density decreased, seed proportions inside shrubs increased, and "nurse effects" of shrubs on seedlings became more important. These factors, combined with water-saving characteristics associated with clumped spatial patterns, are likely driving the changes in C. stenophylla spatial patterns.

[Pemberton acetabuloplasty for treating the developmental dislocation of hip joint].

OBJECTIVE: To study advantages of Pemberton acetabuloplasty for the treatment of developmental dislocation of hip joint. METHODS: Among 106 children (116 hips) with development dislocation of hip joint treated by Pemberton acetabuloplasty, 19 patients (29 hips) were boy, and 87 patients (87 hips) were girl, 46 hips were left side, 50 hips were right side and 20 hips were double side, ranging in age from 18 months to 13 years, with an average of 7 years and 3 months. All the 116 hips were treated with Pemberton acetabuloplasty, or "complete operation", which included the cutting of adductor and iliopsoas, Pemberton acetabuloplasty combined with subtrochanteric femoral shortening and rotation osteotomy. Among the hips, 95 hips were treated with simple Pemberton acetabuloplasty, and the other 21 hips were treated with complete operation. All the patients with bilateral developmental dislocation of hip joint were performed the operation at one side firstly, and one year later the other side were performed and the plate fixation in the first operation were removed. RESULTS: All the patients were followed-up ranging from 2 to 10 years, with an average of 6 years. According to Muller and Seddon's evaluation criteria, 67 hips got an excellent result, 34 good, 10 fair and 5 bad, the excellent and good rate was 87%. CONCLUSION: Pemberton acetabuloplasty is suitable for the treatment of developmental dislocation of hip joint in children at different ages, and the therapeutic effects are good.