Understanding the Transcriptional Changes During Infection of Meloidogyne incognita Eggs by the Egg-Parasitic Fungus Purpureocillium lilacinum.

The egg-pathogenic fungus Purpureocillium lilacinum parasitizes on nematode eggs, and thus, it is used as a good biocontrol agent against plant root-knot nematodes. However, little is known about the transcriptional response of P. lilacinum while infecting nematode eggs. This study presents the whole transcriptome sequencing of P. lilacinum and transcriptome-wide gene expression analysis of P. lilacinum upon infecting the eggs of Meloidogyne incognita compared to non-infecting controls. A transcriptomic library of P. lilacinum was used as reference gene set and six transcriptomic libraries of the non-infecting control and P. lilacinum infecting M. incognita eggs were constructed, respectively, comprising three biological replicates of each. A total of 1,011 differently expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the infecting samples, including 553 up-regulated and 458 down-regulated genes compared to the non-infecting control samples. Furthermore, functional enrichment analysis exhibited that these DEGs were primarily involved in oxidative phosphorylation, oxidoreductase activity, and metabolic processes. Fifteen DEGs were randomly selected to verify the RNA sequencing results through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The study focused on P. lilacinum genes that were strongly expressed upon infecting M. incognita eggs. These DEGs were primarily involved in detoxification, parasitic behavior, and nutritional utilization. This study contributes significantly to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the parasitic action of P. lilacinum on nematode eggs and provides a valuable genetic resource for further research on parasitic behavior of P. lilacinum. Notably, this study examined the transcriptomics of P. lilacinum infecting M. incognita eggs at only one time point. Since there were fungi at different stages of the infection process at that time point, the transcriptional profiles are not precisely examining one specific stage in this process.

Molecular characterization and functional analysis of the vitellogenin receptor in the rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis.

As a member of the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) superfamily, vitellogenin (Vg) receptor (VgR) is responsible for the uptake of Vg into developing oocytes and is a potential target for pest control. Here, a full-length VgR complementary DNA (named as CsVgR) was isolated and characterized in the rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis. The composite CsVgR gene contained an open reading frame of 5,484 bp encoding a protein of 1,827 amino acid residues. Structural analysis revealed that CsVgR contained two ligand-binding domains (LBDs) with four Class A (LDLRA ) repeats in LBD1 and seven in LBD2, which was structurally different from most non-Lepidopteran insect VgRs having five repeats in LBD1 and eight in LBD2. The developmental expression analysis showed that CsVgR messenger RNA expression was first detectable in 3-day-old pupae, sharply increased in newly emerged female adults, and reached a peak in 2-day-old female adults. Consistent with most other insects VgRs, CsVgR was exclusively expressed in the ovary. Notably, injection of dsCsVgR into late pupae resulted in fewer follicles in the ovarioles as well as reduced fecundity, suggesting a critical role of CsVgR in female reproduction. These results may contribute to the development of RNA interference-mediated disruption of reproduction as a control strategy of C. suppressalis.

[Analysis on awareness of obesity risk factors among children and adolescents].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the awareness rate of obesity risk factors among children and adolescents, and to provide the basis for preventing their obesity. METHODS: The students selected by using stratified cluster sampling method, were measured for the body height, weight, and waist circumference, and were surveyed for the awareness rate of obesity risk factors by using the questionnaire. The distribution characteristics of awareness on obesity risk factors were analyzed. RESULTS: The awareness rate of obesity risk factors was 74.1%, and there was no significant difference on the awareness rate of obesity risk factors between the males [71.2% (247/347)] and females [77.2% (257/333)], the abdominal obesity students [73.5% (202/275)] and non-abdominal obesity students [74.6% (302/405)], the overall obesity students [74.3% (185/249)] and non-overall obesity students [74.0% (319/431)], respectively. However, the awareness rate of obesity risk factors among the primary school students was 81.9% (272/332) that was higher than that of the middle school students [66.7% (232/348)] (P<0.05). Compared with the primary school students, the non-awareness risk of obesity risk factors would increase among the middle school students (OR=2.23, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The overall awareness rate of obesity risk factors is not high among children and adolescents, especially among middle school students.

Characterization of mating-type loci in rice false smut fungus Villosiclava virens.

Ascospores of Villosiclava virens are a primary infection source of rice false smut. This phytopathogenic fungus exists in heterothallic form, and mating compatibility is regulated by mating-type locus 1 (MAT1). However, the MAT1 locus structure remains unknown. The MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 idiomorphs of V. virens were characterized and annotated on the basis of cDNA sequencing. A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was developed to identify the mating types of hyphae and sclerotia. The MAT1-1 locus of V. virens contains three mating-type genes: MAT1-1-1, MAT1-1-2 and MAT1-1-3, and a pseudogene similar to MAT1-2-1. The MAT1-2 locus harbors the MAT1-2-1 gene and a new mating-type gene MAT1-2-8. The mRNA of MAT1-1-1, MAT1-1-3 and MAT1-2-1, but not MAT1-1-2, was detectible by reverse transcription PCR in vegetative mycelia. However, the mRNA of MAT1-1-2 was detectible in the stroma, which is a sexual reproduction structure of V. virens. A multiplex PCR detection method was developed for the identification of the MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 idiomorphs. All 20 wild-type strains harbored either the MAT1-1 or MAT1-2 idiomorphs. Sclerotia that harbored both the MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 idiomorphs had potential to form fertile stromata, whereas those that harbored only the MAT1-1 idiomorph could not form mature stromata.

An objective measure to evaluate actual body shape among children and adolescents in China.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore an objective measure to assess actual body shape of children and adolescents in China. METHODS: Based on the Chinese National Survey on Student's Constitution and Health (CNSSCH) in 2005, 210 927 children and adolescents' (7-18 years) body height, body weight, chest circumference, sitting height, chest circumference-height ratio, chest circumference-sitting height ratio, chest circumference-low limb ratio, and sitting height-low limb ratio measurements were used to develop an objective measure by using transformation variables and explored factor analysis (EFA). Discrimination power of the objective measure was evaluated based on BMI reference and Receiver Operating Characteristic curves (ROC). RESULTS: The objective measure included four dimensions scores: transverse dimension (TD) indicating weight and chest circumference; length dimension (LD) indicating height and sitting height; transverse-length ratio dimension (TLD) indicating chest circumference-height ratio, chest circumference-sitting height and chest circumference-low limb ratio; proportion dimension (PD) indicating sitting height-low limb ratio. The whole dimension (WD) indicating the whole body shape was showed by the average of four dimensions scores. Four dimensions and WD scores were approximately 80 in children and adolescents with normal weight, and higher than those of overweight, obesity, and underweight (all P-values <0.001). Areas under ROC of overweight and obesity compared with normal weight ranged from 0.88 to 1.00 for scores of TD, TLD, and WD. CONCLUSION: The objective measure which included four dimensions was explored, and TD, TLD, and WD had significant discrimination power.

Nonvirus encoded proteins could be embedded into Bombyx mori cypovirus polyhedra.

To explore whether the nonvirus encoded protein could be embedded into Bombyx mori cypovirus (BmCPV) polyhedra. The stable transformants of BmN cells expressing a polyhedrin (Polh) gene of BmCPV were constructed by transfection with a non-transposon derived vector containing a polh gene. The polyhedra were purified from the midguts of BmCPV-infected silkworms and the transformed BmN cells, respectively. The proteins embedded into polyhedra were determined by mass spectrometry analysis. Host derived proteins were detected in the purified polyhedra. Analysis of structure and hydrophilicity of embedded proteins indicated that the hydrophilic proteins, in structure, were similar to the left-handed structure of polyhedrin or the N-terminal domain of BmCPV structural protein VP3, which were easily embedded into the BmCPV polyhedra. The lysate of polyhedra purified from the infected transformation of BmN cells with modified B. mori baculovirus BmPAK6 could infect BmN cells, indicating that B. mori baculovirus could be embedded into BmCPV polyhedra. Both the purified polyhedra and its lysate could be coloured by X-gal, indicating that the ß-galactosidase expressed by BmPAK6 could be incorporated into BmCPV polyhedra. These results suggested that some heterologous proteins and baculovirus could be embedded into polyhedra in an unknown manner.