Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Profiling of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Universal Stress Proteins Reveal Essential Roles in Mechanical Damage and Deoxynivalenol Stress.

Universal stress proteins (USPs) play an important regulatory role in responses to abiotic stress. Most of the research related to USPs so far has been conducted on plant models such as Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), rice (Oryza sativa L.), and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). The potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the four major food crops in the world. The potato is susceptible to mechanical damage and infection by pathogenic fungi during transport and storage. Deoxynivalenol (DON) released by Fusarium can seriously degrade the quality of potatoes. As a result, it is of great significance to study the expression pattern of the potato StUSP gene family under abiotic stress conditions. In this study, a total of 108 USP genes were identified from the genome of the Atlantic potato, divided into four subgroups. Based on their genetic structure, the physical and chemical properties of their proteins and other aspects of their biological characteristics are comprehensively analyzed. Collinear analysis showed that the homologous genes of StUSPs and four other representative species (Solanum lycopersicum, Arabidopsis, Oryza sativa L., and Nicotiana attenuata) were highly conserved. The cis-regulatory elements of the StUSPs promoter are involved in plant hormones, environmental stress, mechanical damage, and light response. RNA-seq analysis showed that there are differences in the expression patterns of members of each subgroup under different abiotic stresses. A Weighted Gene Coexpression Network Analysis (WGCNA) of the central gene showed that the differential coexpression gene is mainly involved in the plant-pathogen response process, plant hormone signal transduction, and the biosynthesis process of secondary metabolites. Through qRT-PCR analysis, it was confirmed that StUSP13, StUSP14, StUSP15, and StUSP41 may be important candidate genes involved in the response to adversity stress in potatoes. The results of this study provide a basis for further research on the functional analysis of StUSPs in the response of potatoes to adversity stress.

Effect of B vitamins supplementation on cardio-metabolic factors in patients with stable coronary artery disease: A randomized double-blind trial.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate whether B vitamins supplementation would improve dyslipidemia, alleviate inflammatory state of patients with stable coronary artery disease (SCAD). METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, 12-week, placebo-controlled trial involving adults with SCAD, and who were randomly divided into B vitamins group (folic acid and VB-6) and control group (placebo tablet). Blood tests had also been performed at baseline and endpoint. RESULTS: After 12 weeks of intervention, B vitamins supplementation significantly improved the concentration of serum TG, TC and HDL-C (p<0.05). Changes of serum homocysteine in B vitamins treatment were significantly different compared to placebo by the multivariate-adjusted analysis (3.02±2.35 vs 1.55±1.58 p<0.001). Meanwhile, the levels of IL-1ß and IL-10, significant difference were observed between two groups after adjustment for confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation with B vitamins significantly improves lipid metabolism, alleviate inflammation and serum homocysteine concentration in patients with SCAD.

Complete genome sequence of astaxanthin-producing bacterium Altererythrobacter ishigakiensis NBRC 107699.

Altererythrobacter ishigakiensis NBRC 107699 was isolated from marine sediment collected from a site on the coast of Ishigaki Island, Japan and deposited to the NITE Biological Resource Center. This strain is able to produce astaxanthin, which can be used as a food supplement. Here we describe the genome sequence and annotation, as well as the features of the organism. The genome of strain NBRC 107699 comprises 2,673,978bp and contains 2618 protein-coding genes (1966 with predicted functions), 42 tRNA genes and 3 rRNA genes. A. ishigakiensis NBRC 107699T encodes fifteen genes related to astaxanthin production, revealing its potential application in biotechnological industry. The genome sequence of A. ishigakiensis NBRC 107699 now provides the fundamental information for future studies.

Gemmobacter megaterium sp. nov., isolated from coastal planktonic seaweeds.

A Gram-stain-negative, non-motile and aerobic bacterium, designated CF17(T), was isolated from coastal planktonic seaweeds, East China Sea. The isolate grew at 18-37 °C (optimum 25-28 °C), pH 6.5-9.0 (optimum 7.0-8.0) and with 0-5 % NaCl (optimum 1-2 %, w/v) and 0.5-10 % sea salts (optimum 2-3 %, w/v). Growth of strain CF17(T) could be stimulated prominently by supplementing the growth medium with the autoclaved supernatant of a culture of strain CF5, which was isolated from the same sample along with strain CF17(T). The cell morphology of strain CF17(T) was a bean-shaped rod consisting of a swollen end and a long prostheca. The phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain CF17(T) clustered with Gemmobacter nectariphilus DSM 15620(T) within the genus Gemmobacter. The DNA G+C content of strain CF17(T) was 61.4 mol%. The respiratory quinone was ubiquinone Q-10. The major fatty acids included C18 : 1ω7c and C18 : 0. The polar lipids of strain CF17(T) consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, two uncharacterized phospholipids, one uncharacterized aminolipid, three uncharacterized glycolipids and one uncharacterized lipid. On the basis of phenotypic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic data, strain CF17(T) ( = CGMCC 1.11024(T) = JCM 18498(T)) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Gemmobacter, for which the name Gemmobacter megaterium sp. nov. is proposed.

Tepidibacter mesophilus sp. nov., a mesophilic fermentative anaerobe isolated from soil polluted by crude oil, and emended description of the genus Tepidibacter.

A mesophilic, aerotolerant, endospore-forming, fermentative bacterium, designated strain B1(T), was isolated from soil polluted by crude oil in the Karamay Oil Field, China. Cells were Gram-positive, rod-shaped, 1.1-1.6 µm wide and 2.3-4.7 µm long, and were motile by means of peritrichous flagella. Growth occurred at 10-40 °C and pH 6.0-8.9; optimal growth occurred at 28-32 °C and pH 7.3. The optimal concentrations of NaCl and sea salts for growth were 0.5 and 1% (w/v), respectively. The strain was halotolerant and grew in the presence of NaCl or sea salts up to a concentration of 9% (w/v). Substrates utilized as sole carbon sources were beef extract, yeast extract, peptone, tryptone, casein, D-glucose, D-fructose, D-xylose, D-ribose, D-galactose, maltose, L-rhamnose, trehalose, L-valine, DL-alanine plus L-proline and DL-alanine plus L-glycine. The main products of glucose fermentation were ethanol and acetate. iso-C(15:0), iso-C(14:0), C(16:0) and iso-C(13:0) were the major fatty acids. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that the isolate belongs to the genus Tepidibacter, showing 94.7 and 94.1% similarity to the type strains of Tepidibacter formicigenes and Tepidibacter thalassicus, respectively. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain B1(T) was 29.8 mol%. On the basis of its phenotypic and genotypic properties, strain B1(T) is suggested to represent a novel species of the genus Tepidibacter, for which the name Tepidibacter mesophilus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is B1(T) (=CGMCC 1.5148(T) =JCM 16806(T)).