Deconstructing the Dimensions of Mycobiome Fingerprints in Luohandu Cave, Guilin, Southern China.

Subterranean karst caves are windows into the terrestrial subsurface to deconstruct the dimensions of mycobiome fingerprints. However, impeded by the constraints of remote locations, the inaccessibility of specimens and technical limitations, the mycobiome of subterranean karst caves has remained largely unknown. Weathered rock and sediment samples were collected from Luohandu cave (Guilin, Southern China) and subjected to Illumina Hiseq sequencing of ITS1 genes. A total of 267 known genera and 90 known orders in 15 phyla were revealed in the mycobiomes. Ascomycota dominated all samples, followed by Basidiomycota and Mortierellomycota. The sediments possessed the relatively highest alpha diversity and were significantly different from weathered rocks according to the diversity indices and richness metrics. Fifteen families and eight genera with significant differences were detected in the sediment samples. The Ca/Mg ratio appeared to significantly affect the structure of the mycobiome communities. Ascomycota appeared to exert a controlling influence on the mycobiome co-occurrence network of the sediments, while Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were found to be the main phyla in the mycobiome co-occurrence network of weathered rocks. Our results provide a more comprehensive dimension to the mycobiome fingerprints of Luohandu cave and a new window into the mycobiome communities and the ecology of subterranean karst cave ecosystems.

Weighted Gene Correlation Network Analysis (WGCNA) Detected Loss of MAGI2 Promotes Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) by Podocyte Damage.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Podocyte damage is associated with proteinuria, glomerulosclerosis and decline of renal function. This study aimed to screen critical genes associated with podocyte injury in chronic kidney disease (CKD) by weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA), and explore related functions. METHODS: GSE66107, GSE93798, GSE30528, GSE32591 gene expression data including podocyte injury models or glomeruli in CKD patients were downloaded from the GEO database. R was used for data analysis. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (FDR< 0.05 or |Fold Change|≥1.5) in GSE993395 were assessed by WGCNA. According to Gene Ontology (GO) and known podocyte standard genes (PSGs), podocyte injury-associated modules were defined, with hub genes selected based on average intramodular connectivity. The Cytoscape software was used for network visualization. Nephroseq was used to assess the clinical significance of hub genes. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to evaluate the roles of hub genes in podocyte injury Results: Totally 7957 DEGs were screened, with 15 (co.DEGs) altered in all 4 datasets; 4031 DEGs were used for WGCNA, encompassing 12 modules. Green modules (most PSGs and co.DEGs) were significantly enriched in glomerular development, and considered podocyte injury-associated modules. Furthermore, MAGI2 (a hub gene) was also a co.DEG and PSG. Glomerular MAGI2 levels were reduced in various kidney diseases, and positively and negatively associated with glomerular filtration rate and urinary protein levels in CKD patients. Moreover, MAIG2 knockdown reduced NPHS2, CD2AP and SYNPO levels, and induced podocyte rearrangement and apoptosis. CONCLUSION: MAGI2 identified by WGCNA regulates cytoskeletal rearrangement in podocytes, with its loss predisposing to proteinuria and CKD.

Necessity of high temperature for the dormancy release of Narcissus tazetta var. chinensis.

Winter dormancy has been extensively studied in many plants, while much less information is available for summer dormancy. Narcissus tazetta var. chinensis is characterized by a prolonged period of summer dormancy during the annual cycle. In the present study, we characterized the nature of dormancy in the controlled growth conditions and investigated the effects of temperature and ethylene on dormancy release. Cessation of growth and senescence of aerial tissues occurred even under conditions favorable for growth, suggesting an endo-dormancy process. Bulbs failed to sprout when they were exposed to low storage temperatures, while high temperature treatment preceding low storage temperatures, or heating interruption during low storage temperatures, could make bulbs sprouting. These results suggest that high temperatures are necessary for endo-dormancy release. Ethylene application during a later storage stage showed an obvious accelerative effect on bulb sprouting, whereas ethylene application during the middle stage had no effect on sprouting. The biological progression of dormancy was further studied through cytological and physiological analyses. Under natural conditions, the ethylene level was reduced to trace amounts with the transition and progression of dormancy. A transient peak in ethylene release was found when the plugged plasmodesmata (PD) began to re-open and flower initiation began. The most common PD possessed electron-dense deposits in endo-dormancy. These data indicate that endo-dormancy ends when flower initiation begins and ethylene peak occurs. Ethylene application had no effect on dormancy release, while it hastened sprouting only after the release from endo-dormancy by high temperature.

AKINbeta1 is involved in the regulation of nitrogen metabolism and sugar signaling in Arabidopsis.

Sucrose non-fermenting-1-related protein kinase 1 (SnRK1) has been located at the heart of the control of metabolism and development in plants. The active SnRK1 form is usually a heterotrimeric complex. Subcellular localization and specific target of the SnRK1 kinase are regulated by specific beta subunits. In Arabidopsis, there are at least seven genes encoding beta subunits, of which the regulatory functions are not yet clear. Here, we tried to study the function of one beta subunit, AKINbeta1. It showed that AKINbeta1 expression was dramatically induced by ammonia nitrate but not potassium nitrate, and the investigation of AKINbeta1 transgenic Arabidopsis and T-DNA insertion lines showed that AKINbeta1 negatively regulated the activity of nitrate ruductase and was positively involved in sugar repression in early seedling development. Meanwhile AKINbeta1 expression was reduced upon sugar treatment (including mannitol) and did not affect the activity of sucrose phosphate synthase. The results indicate that AKINbeta1 is involved in the regulation of nitrogen metabolism and sugar signaling.

[The screening of interaction factors with BoCAL and BoAP1 related to curd formation].

CAL (CAULIFLOWER) gene and AP1 (APETALA1) gene, which both belong to MADS-box transcription factors, are involved in the development of flower apical meristem. In A rabidopsis thaliana, loss of CAL and AP1 function at the same time leads to floweral meristems proliferation indeterminately, and the plants display the cauliflower phenotype. But in cauliflower (Brasscia oleracea L. var. botrytis), the BobCAL single mutant can display the cauliflower phenotype, it is appear that CAL and AP1 homolog have different function in both plants. To study the function of homozygous CAL , AP1 protein in Brassica Species, especially their regulation function in the formation of cauliflower, we took advantage of yeast-two-hybrid method to screen interaction factors of BoCAL. We got four kinds of proteins which are separately involve in phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of proteins, proteins modifying, proteins binding-site and so on. They separately have close relationship with translation, regulation pathways and signal transferring pathways and they provide clues for the study of function of BoCAL. Additionally, we checked up the relationship between some interacting factors of BoCAL and BoAP1, some known MADS-box translation factors and BoCAL and BoAP1. The results showed that BoCAL specifically interact with SnRKbeta2. BoCAL, BoAP1 both interact with SVP, similar as the homolog in Arabidopsis. While the interaction between BoCAL, BoAP1 with FLM, SOC1 and AGL24. The data here indicate the function of homozygous BoCAL and BoAP1 differ from that in Arabidopsis thaliana.