Oropouche virus: A neglected global arboviral threat.

The Oropouche virus is an important arthropod-borne virus in the Peribunyaviridae family that can cause febrile illnesses, and it is widely distributed in tropical regions such as Central and South America. Since the virus was first identified, a large number of related cases are reported every year. No deaths have been reported to date, however, the virus can cause systemic infections, including the nervous and blood systems, leading to serious complications. The transmission of Oropouche virus occurs through both urban and sylvatic cycles, with the anthropophilic biting midge Culicoides paraensis serving as the primary vector in urban areas. Direct human-to-human transmission of Oropouche virus has not been observed. Oropouche virus consists of three segments, and the proteins encoded by the different segments enables the virus to replicate efficiently in the host and to resist the host's immune response. Phylogenetic analyses showed that Oropouche virus sequences are geographically distinct and have closer homologies with Iquitos virus and Perdoes virus, which belong to the family Peribunyaviridae. Despite the enormous threat it poses to public health, there are currently no licensed vaccines or specific antiviral treatments for the disease it causes. Recent studies have utilised imJatobal virusmunoinformatics approaches to develop epitope-based peptide vaccines, which have laid the groundwork for the clinical use of vaccines. The present review focuses on the structure, epidemiology, immunity and phylogeny of Oropouche virus, as well as the progress of vaccine development, thereby attracting wider attention and research, particularly with regard to potential vaccine programs.

GA&HA-Modified Liposomes for Co-Delivery of Aprepitant and Curcumin to Inhibit Drug-Resistance and Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: Tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a vital role in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Mounting evidence indicates that peripheral nerves could induce a shift from quiescent hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) to cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) by secreting substance P (SP). The anti-tumor strategy by targeting "SP-HSCs-HCC" axis might be an effective therapy to inhibit tumor growth and metastasis. Objective: In this study, we prepared novel liposomes (CUR-APR/HA&GA-LPs) modified with hyaluronic acid (HA) and glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) for co-delivery aprepitant (APR) and curcumin (CUR), in which APR was chosen to inhibit the activation of HSCs by blocking SP/neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R), and CUR was used to induce apoptosis of tumor cells. Results: To mimic the TME, we established "SP+HSCs+HCC" co-cultured cell model in vitro. The results showed that CUR-APR/HA&GA-LPs could be taken up by CAFs and HCC simultaneously, and inhibit tumor cell migration. Meanwhile, the "SP+m-HSCs+HCC" co-implanted mice model was established to evaluate the anti-tumor effect in vivo. The results showed that CUR-APR/HA&GA-LPs could inhibit tumor proliferation and metastasis, and reduce extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and tumor angiogenesis, indicating a superior anti-HCC effect. Conclusion: Overall, the combination therapy based on HA&GA-LPs could be a potential nano-sized formulation for anti-HCC therapy.

Detection and phylogenetic analysis of a novel tick-borne virus in Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks and sheep from Shandong, China.

Dabieshan tick virus (DTV) was first identified in Haemaphysalis longicornis from Hubei Province, China in 2015. However, its pathogenic potential to animals and human remains to be further explored. In this study, a total of 170 engorged ticks and 22 sheep serum samples were collected from Taian and Yantai city, Shandong Province to investigate the presence of DTV. The results of qRT-PCR revealed the positive rate of 13.6% (3/22) in sheep serum and 8.2% (14/170) in attached ticks, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated a close evolutionary relationship among those DTV isolates from animal and ticks, and DTV might be relatively conservative in evolution. These findings are the first to demonstrate molecular evidence of DTV in domestic animals. Nonetheless, whether or not causing disease in animals, DTV deserves further investigation.

Genome sequencing and annotation and phylogenomic analysis of the medicinal mushroom Amauroderma rugosum, a traditional medicinal species in the family Ganodermataceae.

Amauroderma rugosum is one of the traditional Chinese medicinal mushrooms and is used to reduce inflammation, treat diuretic and upset stomach, and prevent cancer. Here, we present a genomic resource of Amauroderma rugosum (ACCC 51706) for further understanding its biology and exploration of the synthesis pathway of bioactive compounds. Genomic DNA was extracted and then subjected to Illumina HiSeq X Ten and PacBio Sequel I sequencing. The final genome is 40.66 Mb in size, with an N50 scaffold size of 36.6 Mb, and encodes 10 181 putative predicted genes. Among them, 6931 genes were functionally annotated. Phylogenomic analysis suggested that A. rugosum and Ganoderma sinense were not clustered together into a group and the latter was grouped with the Polyporaceae. Further, we also identified 377 carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) and 15 secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters. This is the first genome-scale assembly and annotation for an Amauroderma species. The identification of novel secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters would promote pharmacological research and development of novel bioactive compounds in the future.

Genome sequence of the fungus Pycnoporus sanguineus, which produces cinnabarinic acid and pH- and thermo- stable laccases.

Pycnoporus sanguineus, an edible mushroom, produces antimicrobial and antitumor bioactive compounds and pH- and thermo- stable laccases that have multiple potential biotechnological applications. Here we reported the complete genome of the species Pycnoporus sanguineus ACCC 51,180 by using the combination of Illumina HiSeq X Ten and the PacBio sequencing technology. The represented genome is 36.6 Mb composed of 59 scaffolds with 12,086 functionally annotated protein-coding genes. The genome of Pycnoporus sanguineus encodes at least 19 biosynthetic gene clusters for secondary metabolites, including a terpene cluster for biosynthesis of the antitumor clavaric acid. Seven laccases were identified, while 22 genes were found to be involved in the kynurenine pathway in which the intermediate metabolite 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid were catalyzed by laccases into cinnabarinic acid. This study represented the third genome of the genus Pycnoporus, and wound facilitate the exploration of useful sources from Pycnoporus sanguineus for future industrial applications.

Plasma Amine Oxidase-Induced Nanoparticle-to-Nanofiber Geometric Transformation of an Amphiphilic Peptide for Drug Encapsulation and Enhanced Bactericidal Activity.

Patients with cancer have reduced immune function and are susceptible to bacterial infection after surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy. Spherical nanoparticles formed by the self-assembled peptide V6K3 can be used as carriers for poorly soluble antitumor drugs to effectively deliver drugs into tumor cells. V6K3 was designed to achieve nanoparticle-to-nanofiber geometric transformation under induction by plasma amine oxidase (PAO). PAO is commercially available and functionally similar to lysyl oxidase (LO), which is widely present in serum. After the addition of fetal bovine serum (FBS) or PAO, the secondary structure of the peptide changed, while the spherical nanoparticles stretched and transformed into nanofibers. The conversion of the self-assembled morphology reveals the susceptibility of this amphiphilic peptide to subtle chemical modifications and may lead to promising strategies to control self-assembled architecture via enzyme induction. Enzymatically self-assembled V6K3 had bactericidal properties after PAO addition that were surprisingly superior to those before PAO addition, enabling this peptide to be used to prevent infection. The amphiphilic peptide V6K3 displayed antitumor properties and low toxicity in mammalian cells, demonstrating good biocompatibility, as well as bactericidal properties, to prevent bacterial contamination. These advantages indicate that enzymatically self-assembled V6K3 has great biomedical application potential in cancer therapy.

Parametric Testing of Metasurface Stirrers for Metasurfaced Reverberation Chambers.

In this paper, the correlation coefficients and the total scattering cross sections (TSCSs) for different types of metasurfaced stirrers and the traditional metallic stirrer, and the effects on field uniformity when such stirrers are used in reverberation chambers, are analyzed. Three metasurfaced stirrers are considered: A stirrer with two unit cells arranged alternatively (#1), a stirrer with two unit cells arranged in a chessboard-like manner (#2), and a stirrer with two unit cells in random arrangement (#3). From the correlation coefficient and TSCS results obtained in simulations, it follows that metasurfaced stirrer #1 is the best option. Field uniformity analysis of the resulting metasurface reverberation chambers (MRC) equipped with the different stirrers also supports this conclusion.

Enhancing the Number of Modes in Metasurfaced Reverberation Chambers for Field Uniformity Improvement.

The use of metasurfaces to increase the number of modes, lower the operating frequency, and improve the field uniformity in reverberation chambers (RCs) is investigated in this paper. The method used to improve the field uniformity and decrease the resonance frequencies is based on increasing the number of modes by using the concept of subwavelength cavities. The resonance frequencies of a RC with metasurface wall are derived and expressed analytically in terms of macroscopic characteristics. Simulation of the reflection phase of the unit cell is then given as a guideline to choose the required microscopic parameters of the designed metasurface. The mode density in such subwavelength RCs is then obtained using a numerical eigenmode solver. Compared to traditional RCs, a much higher modal density is obtained at low frequencies. The standard deviation of the field uniformity in the test volume of the RC corresponding to different types of metasurface walls is finally compared. It is shown that by increasing the number of modes in the RC at the lower band, the operating frequency decreases and the field uniformity of the RC is improved.

Metasurfaced Reverberation Chamber.

The concept of metasurfaced reverberation chamber (RC) is introduced in this paper. It is shown that by coating the chamber wall with a rotating 1-bit random coding metasurface, it is possible to enlarge the test zone of the RC while maintaining the field uniformity as good as that in a traditional RC with mechanical stirrers. A 1-bit random coding diffusion metasurface is designed to obtain all-direction backscattering under normal incidence. Three specific cases are studied for comparisons, including a (traditional) mechanical stirrer RC, a mechanical stirrer RC with a fixed diffusion metasurface, and a RC with a rotating diffusion metasurface. Simulation results show that the compact rotating diffusion metasurface can act as a stirrer with good stirring efficiency. By using such rotating diffusion metasurface, the test region of the RC can be greatly extended.

Broadband and Broad-angle Polarization-independent Metasurface for Radar Cross Section Reduction.

In this work, a broadband and broad-angle polarization-independent random coding metasurface structure is proposed for radar cross section (RCS) reduction. An efficient genetic algorithm is utilized to obtain the optimal layout of the unit cells of the metasurface to get a uniform backscattering under normal incidence. Excellent agreement between the simulation and experimental results show that the proposed metasurface structure can significantly reduce the radar cross section more than 10 dB from 17 GHz to 42 GHz when the angle of incident waves varies from 10° to 50°. The proposed coding metasurface provides an efficient scheme to reduce the scattering of the electromagnetic waves.

Expression of a chimeric human/salmon calcitonin gene integrated into the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome using rDNA sequences as recombination sites.

Calcitonin participates in controlling homeostasis of calcium and phosphorus and plays an important role in bone metabolism. The aim of this study was to endow an industrial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with the ability to express chimeric human/salmon calcitonin (hsCT) without the use of antibiotics. To do so, a homologous recombination plasmid pUC18-rDNA2-ura3-P pgk -5hsCT-rDNA1 was constructed, which contains two segments of ribosomal DNA of 1.1 kb (rDNA1) and 1.4 kb (rDNA2), to integrate the heterologous gene into host rDNA. A DNA fragment containing five copies of a chimeric human/salmon calcitonin gene (5hsCT) under the control of the promoter for phosphoglycerate kinase (P pgk ) was constructed to express 5hsCT in S. cerevisiae using ura3 as a selectable auxotrophic marker gene. After digestion by restriction endonuclease HpaI, a linear fragment, rDNA2-ura3-P pgk -5hsCT-rDNA1, was obtained and transformed into the △ura3 mutant of S. cerevisiae by the lithium acetate method. The ura3-P pgk -5hsCT sequence was introduced into the genome at rDNA sites by homologous recombination, and the recombinant strain YS-5hsCT was obtained. Southern blot analysis revealed that the 5hsCT had been integrated successfully into the genome of S. cerevisiae. The results of Western blot and ELISA confirmed that the 5hsCT protein had been expressed in the recombinant strain YS-5hsCT. The expression level reached 2.04 % of total proteins. S. cerevisiae YS-5hsCT decreased serum calcium in mice by oral administration and even 0.01 g lyophilized S. cerevisiae YS-5hsCT/kg decreased serum calcium by 0.498 mM. This work has produced a commercial yeast strain potentially useful for the treatment of osteoporosis.

Application of the Cre/loxP Site-Specific Recombination System for Gene Transformation in Aurantiochytrium limacinum.

The Cre/loxP site-specific recombination system was applied to Aurantiochytrium limacinum to obtain a transformant without the antibiotic resistance marker gene. First, the enhanced green fluorescent protein gene (egfp) and chloramphenicol resistance gene (Cmr), along with the two loxP loci, were integrated into the genome of A. limacinum OUC88 using 18S rDNA sequences as the homologous recombination sites. Then plasmid pSH65, containing a zeocin resistance gene (Bler) was transferred into A. limacinum OUC_CG. After induction with galactose, repeated passage in culture and PCR-based assessment, the pSH65 plasmid was lost and A. limacinum OUC_EG host was shown to no longer have resistance to 100 mg chloramphenicol/L or 5 mg zeocin/L. Through southern blotting and fluorescence detection, egfp was found to be integrated into the genome of A. limacinum OUC_EG, and EGFP was successfully expressed in the cells. The successful application of the Cre/loxP system demonstrates an experimental basis for genetic modification of A. limacinum so as to obtain transformed strains with no antibiotic resistance marker genes.

MIPS: a calmodulin-binding protein of Gracilaria lemaneiformis under heat shock.

To study the Ca(2+)/Calmodulin (CaM) signal transduction pathway of Gracilaria lemaneiformis under heat stress, myo-inositol-1-phosphate synthase (MIPS), a calmodulin-binding protein, was isolated using the yeast two-hybrid system. cDNA and DNA sequences of mips were cloned from G. lemaneiformis by using 5'RACE and genome walking procedures. The MIPS DNA sequence was 2,067 nucleotides long, containing an open reading frame (ORF) of 1,623 nucleotides with no intron. The mips ORF was predicted to encode 540 amino acids, which included the conserved MIPS domain and was 61-67 % similar to that of other species. After analyzing the amino acid sequence of MIPS, the CaM-Binding Domain (CaMBD) was inferred to be at a site spanning from amino acid 212 to amino acid 236. The yeast two-hybrid results proved that MIPS can interact with CaM and that MIPS is a type of calmodulin-binding protein. Next, the expression of CaM and MIPS in wild-type G. lemaneiformis and a heat-tolerant G. lemaneiformis cultivar, "981," were analyzed using real-time PCR under a heat shock of 32 °C. The expression level displayed a cyclical upward trend. Compared with wild type, the CaM expression levels of cultivar 981 were higher, which might directly relate to its resistance to high temperatures. This paper indicates that MIPS and CaM may play important roles in the high-temperature resistance of G. lemaneiformis.