Comparative Proteomics Identified EXOSC1 as a Target Protein of Anticancer Peptide LVTX-8 in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a prevalent malignancy that usually occurs among the nose and throat. Due to mild initial symptoms, most patients are diagnosed in the late stage, and the recurrence rate of tumors is high, resulting in many deaths every year. Traditional radiotherapy and chemotherapy are prone to causing drug resistance and significant side effects. Therefore, searching for new bioactive drugs including anticancer peptides is necessary and urgent. LVTX-8 is a peptide toxin synthesized from the cDNA library of the spider Lycosa vittata, which is consisting of 25 amino acids. In this study, a series of in vitro cell experiments such as cell toxicity, colony formation, and cell migration assays were performed to exam the anticancer activity of LVTX-8 in NPC cells (5-8F and CNE-2). The results suggested that LVTX-8 significantly inhibited cell proliferation and migration of NPC cells. To find the potential molecular targets for the anticancer capability of LVTX-8, high-throughput proteomic and bioinformatics analysis were conducted on NPC cells. The results identified EXOSC1 as a potential target protein with significantly differential expression levels under LVTX-8+/LVTX-8- conditions. The results in this research indicate that spider peptide toxin LVTX-8 exhibits significant anticancer activity in NPC, and EXOSC1 may serve as a target protein for its anticancer activity. These findings provide a reference for the development of new therapeutic drugs for NPC and offer new ideas for the discovery of biomarkers related to NPC diagnosis. The mass spectrometry proteomics data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange Consortium (https://proteomecentral.proteomexchange.org) via the iProX partner repository with the data set identifier PXD050542.

PTEN deficiency induces an extrahepatic cholangitis-cholangiocarcinoma continuum via aurora kinase A in mice.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The PTEN-AKT pathway is frequently altered in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (eCCA). We aimed to evaluate the role of PTEN in the pathogenesis of eCCA and identify novel therapeutic targets for this disease. METHODS: The Pten gene was genetically deleted using the Cre-loxp system in biliary epithelial cells. The pathologies were evaluated both macroscopically and histologically. The characteristics were further analyzed by immunohistochemistry, reverse-transcription PCR, cell culture, and RNA sequencing. Some features were compared to those in human eCCA samples. Further mechanistic studies utilized the conditional knockout of Trp53 and Aurora kinase A (Aurka) genes. We also tested the effectiveness of an Aurka inhibitor. RESULTS: We observed that genetic deletion of the Pten gene in the extrahepatic biliary epithelium and peri-ductal glands initiated sclerosing cholangitis-like lesions in mice, resulting in enlarged and distorted extrahepatic bile ducts in mice as early as 1 month after birth. Histologically, these lesions exhibited increased epithelial proliferation, inflammatory cell infiltration, and fibrosis. With aging, the lesions progressed from low-grade dysplasia to invasive carcinoma. Trp53 inactivation further accelerated disease progression, potentially by downregulating senescence. Further mechanistic studies showed that both human and mouse eCCA showed high expression of AURKA. Notably, the genetic deletion of Aurka completely eliminated Pten deficiency-induced extrahepatic bile duct lesions. Furthermore, pharmacological inhibition of Aurka alleviated disease progression. CONCLUSIONS: Pten deficiency in extrahepatic cholangiocytes and peribiliary glands led to a cholangitis-to-cholangiocarcinoma continuum that was dependent on Aurka. These findings offer new insights into preventive and therapeutic interventions for extrahepatic CCA. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS: The aberrant PTEN-PI3K-AKT signaling pathway is commonly observed in human extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (eCCA), a disease with a poor prognosis. In our study, we developed a mouse model mimicking cholangitis to eCCA progression by conditionally deleting the Pten gene via Pdx1-Cre in epithelial cells and peribiliary glands of the extrahepatic biliary duct. The conditional Pten deletion in these cells led to cholangitis, which gradually advanced to dysplasia, ultimately resulting in eCCA. The loss of Pten heightened Akt signaling, cell proliferation, inflammation, fibrosis, DNA damage, epigenetic signaling, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, cell dysplasia, and cellular senescence. Genetic deletion or pharmacological inhibition of Aurka successfully halted disease progression. This model will be valuable for testing novel therapies and unraveling the mechanisms of eCCA tumorigenesis.

A simple and effective genotyping workflow for rapid detection of CRISPR genome editing.

Genetically engineered mouse models play a pivotal role in the modeling of diseases, exploration of gene functions, and the development of novel therapies. In recent years, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9)-mediated genome editing technology has revolutionized the process of developing such models by enabling precise genome modifications of the multiple interested genes simultaneously. Following genome editing, an efficient genotyping methodology is crucial for subsequent characterization. However, current genotyping methods are laborious, time-consuming, and costly. Here, using targeting the mouse trypsinogen genes as an example, we introduced common applications of CRISPR-Cas9 editing and a streamlined cost-effective genotyping workflow for CRISPR-edited mouse models, in which Sanger sequencing is required only at the initial steps. In the F0 mice, we focused on identifying the presence of positive editing by PCR followed by Sanger sequencing without the need to know the exact sequences, simplifying the initial screening. In the F1 mice, Sanger sequencing and algorithms decoding were used to identify the precise editing. Once the edited sequence was established, a simple and effective genotyping strategy was established to distinguish homozygous and heterozygous status by PCR from tail DNA. The genotyping workflow applies to deletions as small as one nucleotide, multiple-gene knockout, and knockin studies. This simplified, efficient, and cost-effective genotyping shall be instructive to new investigators who are unfamiliar with characterizing CRISPR-Cas9-edited mouse strains.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study presents a streamlined, cost-effective genotyping workflow for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) edited mouse models, focusing on trypsinogen genes. It simplifies initial F0 mouse screening using PCR and Sanger sequencing without needing exact sequences. For F1 mice, precise editing is identified through Sanger sequencing and algorithm decoding. The workflow includes a novel PCR strategy for distinguishing homozygous and heterozygous statuses in subsequent generations, effective for small deletions, multiple-gene knockouts, and knockins.

A mouse model for high-efficient Flp-recombinase-mediated genetic manipulation in the pancreas.

BACKGROUND: Tissue and cell-specific gene targeting has been widely employed in biomedical research. In the pancreas, the commonly used Cre recombinase recognizes and recombines loxP sites. However, to selectively target different genes in distinct cells, a dual recombinase system is required. METHOD: We developed an alternative recombination system mediated by FLPo, which recognizes frt DNA sequences for pancreatic dual recombinase-mediated genetic manipulation. An IRES-FLPo cassette was targeted between the translation stop code and 3-UTR of the mouse pdx1 gene in a Bacterial Artificial Chromosome using recombineering technology. Transgenic BAC-Pdx1-FLPo mice were developed by pronuclear injection. RESULTS: Highly efficient recombination activity was observed in the pancreas by crossing the founder mice with Flp reporter mice. When the BAC-Pdx1-FLPo mice were bred with conditional FSF-KRasG12D and p53 F/F mice, pancreatic cancer developed in the compound mice. The characteristics of pancreatic cancer resembled those derived from conditional LSL-KRasG12D and p53 L/L mice controlled by pdx1-Cre. CONCLUSIONS: We have generated a new transgenic mouse line expressing FLPo, which enables highly efficient pancreatic-specific gene recombination. When combined with other available Cre lines, this system can be utilized to target different genes in distinct cells for pancreatic research.

Transcriptomics Based Network Analyses and Molecular Docking Highlighted Potentially Therapeutic Biomarkers for Colon Cancer.

In this study, machine learning-based multiple bioinformatics analysis was carried out for the purpose of the deep and efficient mining of high-throughput transcriptomics data from the TCGA database. Compared with normal colon tissue, 2469 genes were significantly differentially expressed in colon cancer tissue. Gene functional annotation and pathway analysis suggested that most DEGs were functionally related to the cell cycle and metabolism. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed a significant module and the enriched genes that were closely related to fatty acid degradation and metabolism. Based on colon cancer progression, the trend analysis highlighted that several gene sets were significantly correlated with disease development. At the same time, the most specific genes were functionally related to cancer cell features such as the high performance of DNA replication and cell division. Moreover, survival analysis and target drug prediction were performed to prioritize reliable biomarkers and potential drugs. In consideration of a combination of different evidence, four genes (ACOX1, CPT2, CDC25C and PKMYT1) were suggested as novel biomarkers in colon cancer. The potential biomarkers and target drugs identified in our study may provide new ideas for colonic-related prevention, diagnosis, and treatment; therefore, our results have high clinical value for colon cancer.

Zeolite Fixed Metal Nanoparticles: New Perspective in Catalysis.

ConspectusLoading metal nanoparticles on the surface of solid supports has emerged as an efficient route for the preparation of heterogeneous catalysts. Notably, most of these supported metal nanoparticles still have shortcomings such as dissatisfactory activity and low product selectivity in catalysis. In addition, these metal nanoparticles also suffer from deactivation because of nanoparticle sintering, leaching, and coke formation under harsh conditions. The fixation of metal nanoparticles within zeolite crystals should have advantages of high activities for metal nanoparticles and excellent shape selectivity for zeolite micropores as well as extraordinary stability of metal nanoparticles immobilized with a stable zeolite framework, which is a good solution for the shortcomings of supported metal nanoparticles.Materials with metal nanostructures within the zeolite crystals are normally denoted as metal@zeolite, where the metal nanoparticles with diameters similar to those of industrial catalysts are usually larger than the micropore size. These metal nanoparticles are enveloped with the zeolite rigid framework to prevent migration under harsh reaction conditions, which is described as a fixed structure. The zeolite micropores allow the diffusion of reactants to the metal nanoparticles. As a result, metal@zeolite catalysts combine the features of both metal nanoparticles (high activity) and zeolites (shape selectivity and thermal stability), compared with the supported metal nanoparticles.In this Account, we describe how the zeolite micropore and metal nanoparticle synergistically work to improve the catalytic performance by the preparation of a variety of metal@zeolite catalysts. Multiple functions of zeolites with respect to the metal nanoparticles are highlighted, including control of the reactant/product diffusion in the micropores, the adjustment of reactant adsorption on the metal nanoparticles, and sieving the reactants and products with zeolite micropores. Furthermore, by optimizing the wettability of the zeolite external surface, the zeolite crystals could form a nanoreactor to efficiently enrich the crucial intermediates, thus boosting the performance in low-temperature methane oxidation. Also, the microporous confinement weakens the adsorption of C1 intermediates on the metal sites, accelerating the C-C coupling to improve C2 oxygenate productivity in syngas conversion. In particular, the zeolite framework efficiently stabilizes the metal nanoparticles against sintering and leaching to give durable catalysts. Clearly, this strategy not only guides the rational design of efficient heterogeneous catalysts for potential applications in a variety of industrial chemical reactions but also accelerates the fundamental understanding of the catalytic mechanisms by providing new model catalysts.

Development and validation of a novel 133-plex forensic STR panel (52 STRs and 81 Y-STRs) using single-end 400 bp massive parallel sequencing.

Short tandem repeats (STRs) are the preferred genetic markers in forensic DNA analysis, routinely measured by capillary electrophoresis (CE) method based on the fragment length features. While, the massive parallel sequencing (MPS) technology could simultaneously target a large number of intriguing forensic STRs, bypassing the intrinsic limitations of amplicon size separation and accessible fluorophores in CE, which is efficient and promising for enabling the identification of forensic biological evidence. Here, we developed a novel MPS-based Forensic Analysis System Multiplecues SetB Kit of 133-plex forensic STR markers (52 STRs and 81 Y-STRs) and one Y-InDel (M175) based on multiplex PCR and single-end 400 bp sequencing strategy. This panel was subjected to developmental validation studies according to the SWGDAM Validation Guidelines. Approximately 2185 MPS-based reactions using 6 human DNA standards and 8 male donors were conducted for substrate studies (filter paper, gauze, cotton swab, four different types of FTA cards, peripheral venous blood, saliva, and exfoliated cells), sensitivity studies (from 2 ng down to 0.0625 ng), mixture studies (two-person DNA mixtures), PCR inhibitor studies (seven commonly encountered PCR inhibitors), species specificity studies (11 non-human species), and repeatability studies. Results of concordance studies (413 Han males and 6 human DNA standards) generated by STRait Razor and in-house Python scripts indicated 99.98% concordance rate in STR calling relative to CE for STRs between 41,900 genotypes at 100 STR markers. Moreover, the limitations of present studies, the nomenclature rules and forensic MPS applications were also described. In conclusion, the validation studies based on ~ 2200 MPS-based and ~ 2500 CE-based DNA profiles demonstrated that the novel MPS-based panel meets forensic DNA quality assurance guidelines with robust, reliable, and reproducible performance on samples of various quantities and qualities, and the STR nomenclature rules should be further regulated to integrate the inconformity between MPS-based and CE-based methods.

The forensic landscape and the population genetic analyses of Hainan Li based on massively parallel sequencing DNA profiling.

Due to the formation of the Qiongzhou Strait by climate change and marine transition, Hainan island was isolated from the mainland southern China during the Last Glacial Maximum. Hainan island, located at the southernmost part of China and separated from the Leizhou Peninsula by the Qiongzhou Strait, laid on one of the modern human northward migration routes from Southeast Asia to East Asia. The Hlai language-speaking Li minority, the second largest population after Han Chinese in Hainan island, is the direct descendants of the initial migrants in Hainan island and has unique ethnic properties and derived characteristics; however, the forensic-associated studies on Hainan Li population are still insufficient. Hence, 136 Hainan Li individuals were genotyped in this study using the MPS-based ForenSeq™ DNA Signature Prep Kit (DNA Primer Set A, DPMA) to characterize the forensic genetic polymorphism landscape, and DNA profiles were obtained from 152 different molecular genetic markers (27 autosomal STRs, 24 Y-STRs, 7 X-STRs, and 94 iiSNPs). A total of 419 distinct length variants and 586 repeat sequence sub-variants, with 31 novel alleles (at 17 loci), were identified across the 58 STR loci from the DNA profiles of Hainan Li population. We evaluated the forensic characteristics and efficiencies of DPMA, demonstrating that the STRs and iiSNPs in DPMA were highly polymorphic in Hainan Li population and could be employed in forensic applications. In addition, we set up three datasets, which included the genetic data of (i) iiSNPs (27 populations, 2640 individuals), (ii) Y-STRs (42 populations, 8281 individuals), and (iii) Y haplogroups (123 populations, 4837 individuals) along with the population ancestries and language families, to perform population genetic analyses separately from different perspectives. In conclusion, the phylogenetic analyses indicated that Hainan Li, with a southern East Asia origin and Tai-Kadai language-speaking language, is an isolated population relatively. But the genetic pool of Hainan Li influenced by the limited gene flows from other Tai-Kadai populations and Hainan populations. Furthermore, the establishment of isolated population models will be beneficial to clarify the exquisite population structures and develop specific genetic markers for subpopulations in forensic genetic fields.

Paternal gene pool of Malays in Southeast Asia and its applications for the early expansion of Austronesians.

OBJECTIVES: The origin and differentiation of Austronesian populations and their languages have long fascinated linguists, archeologists, and geneticists. However, the founding process of Austronesians and when they separated from their close relatives, such as the Daic and Austro-Asiatic populations in the mainland of Asia, remain unclear. In this study, we explored the paternal origin of Malays in Southeast Asia and the early differentiation of Austronesians. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We generated whole Y-chromosome sequences of 50 Malays and co-analyzed 200 sequences from other Austronesians and related populations. We generated a revised phylogenetic tree with time estimation. RESULTS: We identified six founding paternal lineages among the studied Malays samples. These founding lineages showed a surprisingly coincident expansion age at 5000 to 6000 years ago. We also found numerous mostly close related samples of the founding lineages of Malays among populations from Mainland of Asia. CONCLUSION: Our analyses provided a refined phylogenetic resolution for the dominant paternal lineages of Austronesians found by previous studies. We suggested that the co-expansion of numerous founding paternal lineages corresponds to the initial differentiation of the most recent common ancestor of modern Austronesians. The splitting time and divergence pattern in perspective of paternal Y-chromosome evidence are highly consistent with the previous theories of ethnologists, linguists, and archeologists.

Molecular Cages Self-Assembled by Imine Condensation in Water.

Self-assembly by imine condensation in aqueous media is a formidable task because of the labile nature of imines in the presence of water. Here, by taking advantage of multivalence and ligand preorganization, basket-shaped triscationic cage molecules are self-assembled in high yields in both water and organic solvent, by condensing a hexaformyl and bisamine. These cages, especially the chiral ones, are stable or inert in aqueous solution, that is, no decomposition was observed upon dilution, precipitation, or exposure to competitive amines or aldehydes. Such water-compatibility allows the hosts to take advantage of the hydrophobic effect to accommodate hydrophobic guests. The chiral cage S-23+ selectively binds and distinguishes one of two enantiomers, opening up opportunities for applications such as chiral compound separation. Chiral narcissistic self-sorting and sergeants-and-soldiers effects occur during cage formation when two amino precursors are involved in self-assembly.

Coking-Resistant Iron Catalyst in Ethane Dehydrogenation Achieved through Siliceous Zeolite Modulation.

Nonoxidative dehydrogenation is promising for production of light olefins from shale gas, but current technology relies on precious Pt or toxic Cr catalysts and suffers from thermodynamically oriented coke formation. To solve these issues, the earth-abundant iron catalyst is employed, where Fe species are effectively modulated by siliceous zeolite, which is realized by the synthesis of Fe-containing MFI siliceous zeolite in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic sodium (FeS-1-EDTA). Catalytic tests in ethane dehydrogenation show that this catalyst has a superior coke resistance in a 200 h run without any deactivation with extremely high activity and selectivity (e.g., 26.3% conversion and over 97.5% selectivity to ethene in at 873 K, close to the thermodynamic equilibrium limitation). Multiple characterizations demonstrate that the catalyst has uniformly and stably isolated Fe sites, which improves ethane dehydrogenation to facilitate the fast desorption of hydrogen and olefin products in the zeolite micropores and hinders the coke formation, as also identified by density functional calculations.

Biallelic Mutations in CFAP43 and CFAP44 Cause Male Infertility with Multiple Morphological Abnormalities of the Sperm Flagella.

Sperm motility is vital to human reproduction. Malformations of sperm flagella can cause male infertility. Men with multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella (MMAF) have abnormal spermatozoa with absent, short, coiled, bent, and/or irregular-caliber flagella, which impair sperm motility. The known human MMAF-associated genes, such as DNAH1, only account for fewer than 45% of affected individuals. Pathogenic mechanisms in the genetically unexplained MMAF remain to be elucidated. Here, we conducted genetic analyses by using whole-exome sequencing and genome-wide comparative genomic hybridization microarrays in a multi-center cohort of 30 Han Chinese men affected by MMAF. Among them, 12 subjects could not be genetically explained by any known MMAF-associated genes. Intriguingly, we identified compound-heterozygous mutations in CFAP43 in three subjects and a homozygous frameshift mutation in CFAP44 in one subject. All of these recessive mutations were parentally inherited from heterozygous carriers but were absent in 984 individuals from three Han Chinese control populations. CFAP43 and CFAP44, encoding two cilia- and flagella-associated proteins (CFAPs), are specifically or preferentially expressed in the testis. Using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, we generated two knockout models each deficient in mouse ortholog Cfap43 or Cfap44. Notably, both Cfap43- and Cfap44-deficient male mice presented with MMAF phenotypes, whereas the corresponding female mice were fertile. Our experimental observations on human subjects and animal models strongly suggest that biallelic mutations in either CFAP43 or CFAP44 can cause sperm flagellar abnormalities and impair sperm motility. Further investigations on other CFAP-encoding genes in more genetically unexplained MMAF-affected individuals could uncover novel mechanisms underlying sperm flagellar formation.

Ancestry inference and admixture component estimations of Chinese Kazak group based on 165 AIM-SNPs via NGS platform.

Predicting the biogeographical ancestries of populations and unknown individuals based on ancestry-informative markers (AIMs) has been widely applied in providing DNA clues to criminal investigations, correcting the factor of population stratification in genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and working as the basis of predicting the externally visible characteristics (EVCs) of individuals. The present study chose Chinese Xinjiang Kazak (XJK) group as research object using a 165 AIM-SNPs panel via next generation sequencing (NGS) technology to reveal its ancestral information and genetic background by referencing the populations' data from 1000 Genomes Phase 3. After the Bonferroni correction, there were no significant deviations at the 165 AIM-SNP loci except two loci with homozygote in the studied XJK group. Ancestry information inference and populations genetic analyses were conducted basing on multiplex statistical methods such as forensic statistical parameter analyses, estimation of the success ratios with cross-validation, population tree, principal component analysis (PCA), and genetic structure analysis. The present results revealed that XJK group had the admixed ancestral components of East Asian and European populations with the ratio of about 62:37.

Y-chromosome evidence confirmed the Kerei-Abakh origin of Aksay Kazakhs.

Aksay Kazakhs are the easternmost branch of Kazakhs, residing in Jiuquan city, the forefront of the ancient Silk Road. However, the genetic diversity of Aksay Kazakhs and its relationships with other Kazakhs still lack attention. To clarify this issue, we analyzed the non-recombining portion of the Y-chromosome from 93 Aksay Kazakhs samples, using a high-resolution analysis of 106 biallelic markers and 17 STRs. The lowest haplogroup diversity (0.38) was observed in Aksay Kazakhs among all studied Kazakh populations. The social and cultural traditions of the Kazakhs shaped their current pattern of genetic variation. Aksay Kazakhs tended to migrate with clans and had limited paternal admixture with neighboring populations. Aksay Kazakhs had the highest frequency (80%) of haplogroup C2b1a3a1-F3796 (previous C3*-Star Cluster) among the investigated Eurasian steppe populations, which was now seen as the genetic marker of Kerei clan. Furthermore, NETWORK analysis indicated that Aksay Kazakhs originated from sub-clan Kerei-Abakh in Kazakhstan with DYS448 = 23. TMRCA estimates of three recent descent clusters detected in C2*-M217 (xM48) network, one of which incorporate nearly all of the C2b1a3a1-F3796 Aksay Kazakhs samples, gave the age range of 976-1405 YA for DC1, 1059-1314 YA for DC2, and 1139-1317 YA for DC3, respectively; this is coherent with the 7th to the 11th centuries Altaic-speaking pastoral nomadic population expansion.

High-coverage SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences acquired by target capture sequencing.

In this study, we designed a set of SARS-CoV-2 enrichment probes to increase the capacity for sequence-based virus detection and obtain the comprehensive genome sequence at the same time. This universal SARS-CoV-2 enrichment probe set contains 502 120 nt single-stranded DNA biotin-labeled probes designed based on all available SARS-CoV-2 viral sequences and it can be used to enrich for SARS-CoV-2 sequences without prior knowledge of type or subtype. Following the CDC health and safety guidelines, marked enrichment was demonstrated in a virus strain sample from cell culture, three nasopharyngeal swab samples (cycle threshold [Ct ] values: 32.36, 36.72, and 38.44) from patients diagnosed with COVID-19 (positive control) and four throat swab samples from patients without COVID-19 (negative controls), respectively. Moreover, based on these high-quality sequences, we discuss the heterozygosity and viral expression during coronavirus replication and its phylogenetic relationship with other selected high-quality samples from the Genome Variation Map. Therefore, this universal SARS-CoV-2 enrichment probe system can capture and enrich SARS-CoV-2 viral sequences selectively and effectively in different samples, especially clinical swab samples with a relatively low concentration of viral particles.

Uniparental Genetic Analyses Reveal the Major Origin of Fujian Tanka from Ancient Indigenous Daic Populations.

The Fujian Tanka people are officially classified as a southern Han ethnic group, whereas they have customs similar to Daic and Austronesion people. Whether they originated in Han or Daic people, there is no consensus. Three hypotheses have been proposed to explain the origin of this group: (1) the Han Chinese origin, (2) the ancient Daic origin, (3) and the admixture between Daic and Han. This study addressed this issue by analyzing the paternal Y chromosome and maternal mtDNA variation of 62 Fujian Tanka and 25 neighboring Han in Fujian. The southern East Asian predominant haplogroups (e.g., Y-chromosome O1a1a-P203 and O1b1a1a-M95, and mtDNA F2a, M7c1, and F1a1) had relatively high frequencies in Tanka. The interpopulation comparison revealed that the Tanka have a closer affinity with Daic populations than with Han Chinese in paternal lineages but are closely clustered with southern Han populations such as Hakka and Chaoshanese in maternal lineages. Network and haplotype-sharing analyses also support the admixture hypothesis. The Fujian Tanka mainly originate from the ancient indigenous Daic people and have only limited gene flows from Han Chinese populations. Notably, the divergence time inferred by the Tanka-specific haplotypes indicates that the formation of Fujian Tanka was a least 1033.8-1050.6 years before present (the early Northern Song dynasty), indicating that they are an indigenous population, not late Daic migrants from southwestern China.

Wet-Chemistry Strong Metal-Support Interactions in Titania-Supported Au Catalysts.

Classical strong metal-support interactions (SMSI), which play a crucial role in the preparation of supported metal nanoparticle catalysts, is one of the most important concepts in heterogeneous catalysis. The conventional wisdom for construction of classical SMSI involves in redox treatments at high-temperatures by molecular oxygen or hydrogen, sometimes causing sintered metal nanoparticles before SMSI formation. Herein, we report that the aforementioned issue can be effectively avoided by a wet-chemistry methodology. As a typical example, we demonstrate a new concept of wet-chemistry SMSI (wcSMSI) that can be constructed on titania-supported Au nanoparticles (Au/TiO2-wcSMSI), where the key is to employ a redox interaction between Auδ+ and Ti3+ precursors in aqueous solution. The wcSMSI is evidenced by covering Au nanoparticles with the TiO x overlayer, electronic interaction between Au and TiO2, and suppression of CO adsorption on Au nanoparticles. Owing to the wcSMSI, the Au-TiO x interface with an improved redox property is favorable for oxygen activation, accelerating CO oxidation. In addition, the oxide overlayer efficiently stabilizes the Au nanoparticles, achieving sinter-resistant Au/TiO2-wcSMSI catalyst in CO oxidation.

Relating Clans Ao and Aisin Gioro from northeast China by whole Y-chromosome sequencing.

The Y-chromosome haplogroup C2b1a3a2-F8951 is the paternal lineage of the Aisin Gioro clan, the most important brother branch of the famous Mongolic-speaking population characteristic haplogroup C2*-Star Cluster (C2b1a3a1-F3796). However, investigations on its internal phylogeny are still limited. In this study, we used whole Y-chromosome sequencing to update its phylogenetic tree. In the revised tree, C2b1a3a2-F8951 and C2*-Star Cluster differentiated 3852 years ago (95% CI = 3295-4497). Approximately 3558 years ago (95% CI = 3013-4144), C2b1a3a2-F8951 was divided into two main subclades, C2b1a3a2a-F14753 and C2b1a3a2b-F5483. Currently, samples of C2b1a3a2-F8951 were mainly from the House of Aisin Gioro clan, the Ao family from Daur and some individuals mainly from northeast China. Although other haplogroups are also found in the Ao family, including C2b1a2-M48, C2b1a3a1-F3796, C2a1b-F845, and N1c-M178, the haplogroup C2b1a3a2-F8951 is still the most distinct genetic component. For haplogroup C2b1a3a2-F8951, the time of the most recent common ancestor of the House of Aisin Gioro clan and the Ao family were both very late, just a few hundred years ago. Some family-specific Y-SNPs of the House of Aisin Gioro and the Ao family were also discovered. This revision evidently improved the resolving power of Y-chromosome phylogeny in northeast Asia, deepening our understanding of the origin of these two families, even the Mongolic-speaking population.

Molecular genealogy of Tusi Lu's family reveals their paternal relationship with Jochi, Genghis Khan's eldest son.

Genghis Khan's lineage has attracted both academic and general interest because of its mystery and large influence. However, the truth behind the mystery is complicated and continues to confound the scientific study. In this study, we surveyed the molecular genealogy of Northwestern China's Lu clan who claim to be the descendants of the sixth son of Genghis Khan, Toghan. We also investigated living members of the Huo and Tuo clans, who, according to oral tradition, were close male relatives of Lu clan. Using network analysis, we found that the Y-chromosomal haplotypes of Lu clan mainly belong to haplogroup C2b1a1b1-F1756, widely prevalent in Altaic-speaking populations, and are closely related to the Tore clan from Kazakhstan, who claim to be the descendants of the first son of Genghis Khan, Jochi. The most recent common ancestor of the special haplotype cluster that includes the Lu clan and Tore clan lived about 1000 years ago (YA), while the Huo and Tuo clans do not share any Y lineages with the Lu clan. In addition to the reported lineages, such as C3*-Star Cluster, R1b-M343, and Q, our results indicate that haplogroup C2b1a1b1-F1756 might be another candidate of the true Y lineage of Genghis Khan.

The massive assimilation of indigenous East Asian populations in the origin of Muslim Hui people inferred from paternal Y chromosome.

OBJECTIVES: The Hui people are the adherents of Muslim faith and distributing throughout China. There are two contrasting hypotheses about the origin and diversification of the Hui people, namely, the demic diffusion involving the mass movement of people or simple cultural diffusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collected 621 unrelated male individuals from 23 Hui populations all over China. We comprehensively genotyped more than 100 informative Y-chromosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms and 17 Y-chromosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) on those samples. RESULTS: Co-analyzed with published worldwide populations, our results suggest the origin of Hui people has involved massive assimilation of indigenous East Asians with about 70% in total of the paternal ancestry could be traced back to East Asia and the left 30% to various regions in West Eurasia. DISCUSSION: The genetic structure of the extant Hui populations was primarily shaped by the indigenous East Asian populations as they contribute the majority part of the paternal lineages of Hui people. The West Eurasian admixture was probably a sex-biased male-driven process since we have not found such a high proportion of West Eurasian gene flow on autosomal STRs and maternal mtDNA.