Fungi-enabled pore channel regulation and defect engineering of a novel micro-reactor for treating complex effluents.

Defect engineering has become a significant research area in recent years; however, little has been reported on the biological method for modulating the intrinsic carbon defects of the biochar framework. Herein, a fungi-enabled method for the fabrication of porous carbon/Fe3O4/Ag (PC/Fe3O4/Ag) composites was developed, and the mechanism underlying the hierarchical structure is elucidated for the first time. By regulating the cultivation process of fungi on water hyacinth biomass, a well-developed interconnected structure and carbon defects acting as potential catalytic active sites were formed. This new material with antibacterial, adsorption and photodegradation properties could be an excellent choice for treating the mixed dyestuff effluents with oils and bacteria, also guiding pore channel regulation and defect engineering in materials science. Numerical simulations were carried out to demonstrate the remarkable catalytic activity.

Breeding a Soybean Cultivar Heinong 531 with Peking-Type Cyst Nematode Resistance, Enhanced Yield, and High Seed-Oil Contents.

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is a destructive threat to soybean production. It is economically important to develop a new SCN-resistant soybean cultivar with high yield and other good agronomic traits. In this study, a yellow-seed-coated and yellow-hilum-pigmented cultivar Heinong 531 belonging to maturity group I was developed by a pedigree breeding method through a test-cross between a female parental SCN-resistant soybean cultivar Pengdou 158 and a male parental line F1 (high-yield but SCN-susceptible Hefeng 55 × SCN-resistant Kangxian 12). Heinong 531 was evaluated for SCN resistance in both SCN-infested field and autoclaved soil inoculated with hatched second-stage juveniles of SCN HG Type 0. The results indicated that SCN development at all stages in Heinong 531 was suppressed and the female index was only 1.6 to 5.6%. Heinong 531 as well as Pengdou 158 and Kangxian 12 were identified as carrying the Peking-type resistance with both rhg1-a GmSNAP18 and Rhg4 GmSHMT08 genes. In the 2-year regional trials, the average yield of Heinong 531 reached 2805.0 kg/ha, and the 1-year production trial demonstrated an average yield of 2,751.5 kg/ha with yield increase of >12.0% when compared with the local cultivars. The average seed-fat (oil) contents of Heinong 531 reached up to 22.3%. The Peking-type SCN-resistant Heilong 531 with enhanced yield and high seed-oil contents was released in China in June 2021 with the certified number of 'Heishendou 20210004'. These agronomic traits make Heinong 531 a good prospect in a wide attempt to control SCN in the main soybean-producing areas of Northeast China.

The triglyceride-glucose index as a novel marker associated with sarcopenia in non-diabetic patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

OBJECTIVE: Sarcopenia is a common complication in patients with end-stage kidney disease. Insulin resistance is present in non-diabetic patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) and is an important factor leading to sarcopenia. The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, a reliable indicator for evaluating insulin resistance, is widely used in clinical practice. The present study investigated the association between the TyG index and sarcopenia in non-diabetic patients undergoing MHD. METHODS: Relevant clinical data of non-diabetic patients undergoing MHD at our center were collected. The TyG index was calculated using the following formula: ln(fasting triglycerides(mg/dL)×fasting blood glucose(mg/dL)/2). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the associations. The receiver-operating characteristic curve was used to analyze the predictive value of the TyG index in sarcopenia. RESULTS: Of the 142 patients undergoing MHD who were included, 75 (52.82%) were men, the mean age was 54.05 ± 13.97 years, and 40 (28.17%) patients satisfied the diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia. The TyG index of participants with sarcopenia was higher compared with those without sarcopenia (8.83 ± 0.45 vs. 8.49 ± 0.50, p < 0.001). The prevalence of sarcopenia increased with increasing TyG index tertile (T1, 8.51%; T2, 31.91%; T3, 43.75%; p = 0.001). Logistic regression analysis indicated that the TyG index was an independent risk factor for sarcopenia (odds ratio, 4.21 [95% confidence interval, 1.85-9.59], p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: A higher TyG index was associated with an increased risk of sarcopenia in non-diabetic patients undergoing MHD; it may be used as a novel marker to reflect the presence of sarcopenia.

Event- and time-based prospective memory in hemodialysis patients.

OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated whether hemodialysis (HD) patients exhibit future memory impairment (PM; the capability of remembering to perform expected future actions) and exploring relevant factors of PM task performance. METHODS: Sixty HD patients and 60 healthy controls matched by age are enrolled in the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Finger Span Test (DST), Oral Fluency Test (VFT), Ray Auditory Oral Learning Test (RAVLT), Received Stroop Color Word Interference Test (SCWT), and event-based PM (EBPM) and time-based PM (TBPM). RESULTS: There were no significant difference between the patients and controls in the DST-Forward digit span (9.00 ± 1.25 versus 8.97 ± 1.33, p = 0.96), the DST-Backward digit span (5.23 ± 1.98 versus. 4.60 ± 1.65, p = 0.11), the RAVLT of delayed recall (7.28 ± 2.36 versus 6.87 ± 3.33, p = 0.09) and the VFT for animals (16.70 ± 3.50 versus 17.68 ± 5.45, p = 0.56). By comparison, patients had a much worse performance than controls on the MMSE (29.10 ± 0.84 versus 28.33 ± 0.77, p < 0.001), the RAVLT of total recall (44.47 ± 5.82 versus 40.03 ± 10.46, p < 0.001) and delayed recognition (6.93 ± 1.49 versus 5.4 ± 1.33, p < 0.001), the SCWT reaction time in reading (6.47 ± 1.05 versus 7.47 ± 1.86, p < 0.001), color naming (9.07 ± 1.29 versus 11.43 ± 2.34, p < 0.001), interference (8.78 ± 1.92 versus 10.22 ± 2.91, p < 0.001) and inhibition/switching (14.53 ± 2.90 versus 19.85 ± 4.69, p < 0.001), the VFT for fruit (17.47 ± 3.18 versus 15.92 ± 4.56, p < 0.001), the EBPM task (7.85 ± 0.40 versus 7.08 ± 1.43, p = 0.01), and the TBPM task (3.30 ± 1.31 versus 2.26 ± 1.82, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that EBPM and TBPM are impaired in HD patients and that PM may be applied to help evaluate cognitive dysfunction in HD patients.

A Modified Side-to-Side Anastomosis Using a Circular Stapler Reduces Anastomotic Leakage in Colonic Surgery.

Background. Anastomotic leakage (AL) remains one of the serious complications after colonic surgery. Method. A prospective interventional study to assess a modified technique of creating the ileocolic, colic-colic, and colorectal side-to-side anastomoses using a circular stapler. The primary endpoint was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this technique in the reduction of AL. Computed tomography scan was performed when AL was clinically suspected. Result. One hundred and forty-five patients who underwent colonic resection between January 2015 and August 2018 were included. One patient underwent surgery for severe inflammatory bowel disease, and the others underwent surgery for colonic cancer. The procedures were open surgeries, including right hemicolectomy (n = 79 [54.5%]), left hemicolectomy (n = 29 [20%]), sigmoidectomy (n = 30 [20.7%]), and transverse colectomy (n = 7 [4.8%]). In 23 patients with ascending colonic obstruction, emergency right colectomy with primary anastomosis was performed. Two surgeons performed the operations (52.4% and 47.6%, respectively), and intraoperative blood loss was 50 to 100 mL. The operative time was 160 to 240 minutes. There was no mortality postoperatively, and 26 (17.9%) patients developed complications. One patient who underwent transverse colonic cancer resection developed a clinical AL (0.7%). After ileostomy, the patient was discharged with no other serious complication. The median of postoperative hospital stay was 8 days (range = 5-18 days). Conclusion. This modified technique is a safe and efficient method for anastomotic configuration in colonic surgery.

Comparative genomic analyses of two segregating mutants reveal seven genes likely involved in resistance to Fusarium equiseti in soybean via whole genome re-sequencing.

KEY MESSAGE: The candidate genes involved in resistance to Fusarium equiseti in soybean PI 437654 were identified through comparative genomic analyses of mutants via whole genome re-sequencing. The fungus Fusarium infects each stage of the growth and development of soybean and causes soybean (Glycine max (L.)) seed and root rot and seedling damping-off and wilt with a large quantity of annual yield loss worldwide. It is very important to identify the resistant genes in soybean to prevent and control this pathogen. One Fusarium equiseti isolate was previously identified to be incompatible with 'PI 437654' but compatible with a Chinese soybean cultivar 'Zhonghuang 13'. In this study, with the infection of this isolate on the seedling roots of developed PI 437654 mutants, 6 mutants were identified from 500 mutants to significantly alter their phenotypes to F. equiseti compared to wild-type PI 437654. Then, two identified segregating mutants were selected to directly perform whole genome re-sequencing. Finally, through comparative genomic analyses 7 genes including one cluster of 4 nucleotide binding site-leucine-rich repeat genes on one genomic region of chromosome 7, a 60S ribosomal protein L12 gene and 2 uncharacterized genes were identified to be likely involved in the resistance to F. equiseti. These genes will facilitate the breeding of resistant germplasm resources and the identification of resistance of soybean to Fusarium spp.

The synergistic antifungal effects of sodium phenylbutyrate combined with azoles against Candida albicans via the regulation of the Ras-cAMP-PKA signalling pathway and virulence.

The pathogenic fungus Candida albicans is one of the most commonly clinically isolated fungal species, and its resistance to the antifungal drug fluconazole is known to be increasing. In this paper, we sought to characterize the effect of sodium phenylbutyrate used alone or in combination with azoles against resistant C. albicans. The minimum inhibitory concentrations and sessile minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined to explore the synergistic mechanism. The results showed that sodium phenylbutyrate exerted clear antifungal activity and that the combination of sodium phenylbutyrate and azoles functioned synergistically to combat resistant C. albicans. In our study of the mechanism, we initially found that the combination therapy resulted in the inhibition of hypha growth, the increased penetration of fluconazole through C. albicans biofilm, and the decreased expression of hyphae-related genes and the upstream regulatory genes (CYR1 and TPK2) of the Ras-cAMP-PKA signalling pathway, as determined by RT-PCR. In addition, the combination treatment decreased the extracellular phospholipase activities and the expression of aspartyl proteinase genes (SAP1-SAP3). The synergistic antifungal effects of the combination of sodium phenylbutyrate and azoles against resistant C. albicans was mainly based on the regulation of the Ras-cAMP-PKA signalling pathway, hyphae-related genes, and virulence factors.

Feasibility study on direct fermentation of soybean meal by Bacillus stearothermophilus under non-sterile conditions.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the feasibility of high-temperature solid-state fermentation (SSF) using soybean meal (SBM) during the non-sterile process, Bacillus stearothermophilus was employed to assess the nutritional quality and bioactivity of SBM after fermentation. RESULTS: The fermented SBM (FSBM) without autoclaving showed significant improvements in nutritional quality and bioactivity. The contents of peptides and crude and soluble proteins increased by 131.21%, 5.3% and 15.52%, respectively. Meanwhile, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging ability, reducing ability and hydroxyl free radical-scavenging activity rose by 57.07%, 238.92% and 368.26%, respectively. The inhibitory activity of angiotensin I-converting enzyme increased from 1.43 ± 0.83% to 26.89 ± 1.03%, while the trypsin inhibitor activity decreased by 74.05%. The contents of neutral and alkaline proteases and the growth of microorganisms in FSBM without autoclaving were higher and better than in steam-treated FSBM. After steam treatment, the water-holding capacity of SBM decreased, and a high crosslink density was observed on the surface of SBM particles. CONCLUSIONS: It is feasible to ferment SBM by high-temperature SSF using B. stearothermophilus under non-sterile conditions. Adverse effects of SSF using sterile SBM might be owing to the low water-holding capacity caused by autoclaving. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

The Synergistic Effect of Azoles and Fluoxetine against Resistant Candida albicans Strains Is Attributed to Attenuating Fungal Virulence.

This study evaluated the synergistic effects of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, fluoxetine, in combination with azoles against Candida albicans both in vitro and in vivo and explored the underlying mechanism. MICs, sessile MICs, and time-kill curves were determined for resistant C. albicans Galleria mellonella was used as a nonvertebrate model for determining the efficacy of the drug combinations against C. albicans in vivo For the mechanism study, gene expression levels of the SAP gene family were determined by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR, and extracellular phospholipase activities were detected in vitro by the egg yolk agar method. The combinations resulted in synergistic activity against C. albicans strains, but the same effect was not found for the non-albicans Candida strains. For the biofilms formed over 4, 8, and 12 h, synergism was seen for the combination of fluconazole and fluoxetine. In addition, the time-kill curves confirmed the synergism dynamically. The results of the G. mellonella studies agreed with the in vitro analysis. In the mechanism study, we observed that fluconazole plus fluoxetine caused downregulation of the gene expression levels of SAP1 to SAP4 and weakened the extracellular phospholipase activities of resistant C. albicans The combinations of azoles and fluoxetine showed synergistic effects against resistant C. albicans may diminish the virulence properties of C. albicans.

Effects of gastric bypass on FoxO1 expression in the liver and pancreas of diabetic rats.

AIM: To explore the mechanism by which gastric bypass surgery (GBS) ameliorates type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) by investigating whether FoxO1 (a transcription factor that plays a crucial role in the regulation of glycolipid metabolism) expression is altered in the liver and pancreatic islet cells in a rat model of GBS-treated T2DM. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10 rats each): diabetic rats treated by GBS (DM + GBS), diabetic rats subjected to sham operation (DM + sham), normal control rats (control), and diabetic rats without surgery (DM). Fasting levels of blood glucose (BG), insulin, and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) were measured in all groups before and 4, 8, 16, and 24 weeks after operation. Rats were killed 24 weeks after surgery. Liver and pancreas expressions of FoxO1 were investigated by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting analyses. RESULTS: In the DM + GBS group, fasting BG before and 24 weeks after surgery decreased from 20.2 ± 2.1 to 7.7 ± 1.1 mmol/L, respectively; fasting insulin showed no change (2.9 ± 0.1 and 3.0 ± 0.1 mU/L, respectively); and fasting GLP-1 increased from 8.7 ± 0.9 to 23.5 ± 0.2 pmol/L, respectively. Fasting BG levels after surgery in the DM + GBS group were significantly lower than those in the DM + sham and DM groups. FoxO1 expression levels in the liver and pancreatic islets of the DM + GBS group were reduced compared to those in the DM + sham and DM groups. FoxO1 in the pancreatic ß-cells was expressed mainly in the cytoplasm. CONCLUSIONS: Gastric bypass may improve type 2 diabetes mellitus by changing FoxO1 expression in the liver and pancreatic islet cells.

Aging alters histone H3 lysine 4 methylation in mouse germinal vesicle stage oocytes.

Decreasing oocyte competence with maternal aging is a major factor in mammalian infertility. One of the factors contributing to this infertility is changes to chromatin modifications, such as histone acetylation in old MII stage oocytes. Recent studies indicate that changes in histone acetylation at MII arise at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage. We hypothesised that histone methylation could also change in old GV oocytes. To test this hypothesis, we examined mono-, di- and trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4 me1, me2 and me3, respectively) in young and older oocytes from 6-8- and 42-44-week-old mice, respectively. We found that H3K4 me2 and me3 decreased in older compared with young GV oocytes (100% vs. 81% and 100% vs. 87%, respectively; P<0.05). H3K4 me2 later increased in older MII oocytes (21% vs. 56%; P<0.05). We also examined the expression of genes encoding the H3K4 demethylases lysine (K)-specific demethylase 1A (Kdm1a) and retinol binding protein 2 (Rbp2). Expression of Kdm1a increased at both the mRNA and protein levels in older GV oocytes, but decreased in older MII oocytes (P<0.05), and was negatively correlated with H3K4 me2 levels. Conversely, expression of Rbp2 mRNA and protein decreased in older GV oocytes (P<0.05), and this was not correlated with H3K4 me3 levels. Finally, we showed that inhibition of Kdm1a of older oocytes at the GV stage restored levels of H3K4 me2 at the MII stage to those seen in 'young' oocytes (41% vs. 38%; P>0.05). These results suggest that changes in expression of H3K4 me2 and Kdm1a in older GV oocytes may represent a molecular mechanism underlying human infertility caused by aging.

Expression of histone H3 lysine 4 methylation and its demethylases in the developing mouse testis.

Histone H3 lysine 4 methylation (H3K4me) is an epigenetic modification associated with gene activation and is dynamically regulated by histone methylases and demethylases. To date, the expression patterns of H3K4me and its demethylases in the developing testis remain unclear. The present study was designed to detect the expression of H3K4me1/2/3 and its demethylases LSD1, RBP2 and SMCX in 21-, 40- and 60-day-old mouse testes by using immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blot. The immunohistochemical results demonstrated that the expression patterns of the same protein were similar in testes at different ages and that the positive staining cell types were mainly Leydig cells, type A and B spermatogonia, leptotene spermatocytes and spermatids for H3K4me1/2/3, Leydig cells, type A spermatogonia, zygotene and pachytene spermatocytes, spermatids, and Sertoli cells for LSD1 and type A and B spermatogonia for RBP2. Immunostaining for SMCX was not detected in testes. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot showed that the amounts of LSD1, RPB2 and SMCX mRNA and protein were age-dependent, were significantly reduced with increasing age and exhibited a negative correlation with the protein levels of H3K4me1/2/3. Thus, H3K4me, which is modified by its demethylases, probably plays a role in male spermatogenesis and testis development.

The emergence of natural products as potential therapeutics for male infertility.

Infertility is a major reproductive health problem. Approximately 50% of all documented cases of infertility are attributable to male factors, such as poor testicular function and semen quality. The recent significant global decline in sperm counts has serious implications for male fertility, but the armamentarium for improving testicular function and semen quality is limited. Natural products have a wide range of activities and are a major source of drugs for disease prevention and treatment. To provide ideas and a theoretical basis for the research and development of therapeutic drugs for male infertility, this review summarizes natural products (mostly monomers) that have been shown to improve testicular function and semen quality and their possible mechanisms of action. These natural products primarily improve testicular function and semen quality via antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and anti-inflammatory effects, in addition to increasing serum testosterone and reducing DNA damage in spermatozoa and testicular cells. Prospects for the application of natural products in the treatment of male infertility are discussed.

The association between vascular access satisfaction and all-cause mortality in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: The mortality is significantly higher in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) than in the general population. It is well-known that vascular access (VA) is critical for MHD patients. But the association between VA satisfaction and all-cause mortality in MHD patients is still not clear. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between VA satisfaction and all-cause mortality in MHD patients with a 30-month follow-up. METHODS: Two hundred twenty-nine MHD patients in two dialysis centers were enrolled in this observational prospective study. VA satisfaction was assessed using the Short Form Vascular Access Questionnaire (VAQ). Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) score was calculated with Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the influencing factors of all-cause mortality. RESULTS: During the 30-month follow-up period, 35 patients dropped out of the study. Among them, 31 patients died, and 4 patients stopped MHD treatment after renal transplantation. Multivariable analyses showed that the age, VAQ total score, social functioning score and dialysis-related complication score of the VAQ, the total score and MCS of the SF-36 were factors influencing all-cause mortality in MHD patients. The Kaplan-Meier curve further showed that the cumulative survival probability was significantly higher in the MHD patients with VAQ scores <7 at baseline than in patients with VAQ scores ⩾7 (p = 0.031). INCLUSION: The present study showed that VA satisfaction was significantly associated with all-cause mortality in MHD patients. These findings suggest that a holistic approach is required for VA choice.

[Brachial-basilic arteriovenous fistula versus arteriovenous graft in vascular access for maintenance hemodialysis patients].

OBJECTIVE: To compared the outcomes of autogenous brachial-basilic arteriovenous fistula (BBAVF) and AV graft (AVG) in patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis. METHODS: Approved by Zhong Da hospital ethics committee, we analyzed 61 complex patients, 30 randomized to receive AVG and 31 received BBAVF. We compared patency rates of BBAVF and AVG in 3 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, and complication rates. RESULTS: Patency rates of BBAVF in 3 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years were 100%, 96.8%, 90.3%, 87.1%, 3 years accumulative total infection rate was 3.2%, thrombosis rate was 3.2%. Patency rates of AVG in 3 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years were 96.7%, 50.0%, 36.7%, 33.3%, 3 years accumulative total infection rate was 26.7%, thrombosis rate was 33.3%. Patency rates of BBAVF in 1 year, 2 years, 3 years were higher than patency rates of AVG. The complication rates of infection and thrombosis were significantly lower for BBAVF than for AVG (P < 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: BBAVF has the advantage of a higher patency rate, a lower complication rates of infection and thrombosis, should be served as a favourable choice in building the vascular access in maintenance hemodialysis patients.

Synergy and Mechanism of Leflunomide Plus Fluconazole Against Resistant Candida albicans: An in vitro Study.

Objective: The global rise in the resistance of Candida albicans to conventional antifungals makes Candida albicans infections harder to treat. The main objective of this study was to investigate the antifungal effects and underlying mechanisms of leflunomide in combination with triazoles against resistant Candida albicans. Methods: In this study, the microdilution method was used to determine the antifungal effects of leflunomide in combination with three triazoles on planktonic cells in vitro. The morphological transition from yeast to hyphae was observed under a microscope. The effects on ROS, metacaspase, efflux pumps, and intracellular calcium concentration were investigated, respectively. Results: Our findings suggested that leflunomide + triazoles showed a synergistic effect against resistant Candida albicans in vitro. Further study concluded that the synergistic mechanisms were resulted from multiple factors, including the inhibited efflux of triazoles, the inhibition of yeast-to-hyphae transition, ROS increasing, metacaspase activation, and [Ca2+]i disturbance. Discussion: Leflunomide appears to be a potential enhancer of current antifungal agents for treating candidiasis caused by resistant Candida albicans. This study can also serve as an example to inspire the exploration of new approaches to treating resistant Candida albicans.

The impact of vascular access satisfaction on health-related quality of life in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis: A 2-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has been demonstrated to predict mortality in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Vascular access (VA) is critical for MHD patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the change in HRQoL among MHD patients with a 2-year follow-up and to explore the impact of VA satisfaction on HRQoL in this population. METHODS: 229 MHD patients in two dialysis centers were included in this observational prospective study. VA satisfaction was assessed using the Vascular Access Questionnaire (VAQ). The 36 Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire was employed to evaluate HRQoL scores. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the influencing factors of HRQoL. RESULTS: A total of 229 MHD patients were enrolled in the study, and 198 individuals (86.46%) completed the 2-year follow-up. HRQoL decreased statistically significantly from baseline to the 2-year follow-up across all dimensions. Multivariable analyses showed that the overall score, social functioning score, dialysis-related complication score of VAQ influenced HRQoL in the study population. Furthermore, HRQoL total scores and scores on the physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) domains were significantly higher in the satisfied VA group than in the dissatisfied group at baseline. After the 2-year follow-up, patients with a higher level of VA satisfaction reported higher HRQoL than patients with lower VA satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Our data suggested that VA satisfaction was significantly associated with HRQoL in MHD patients. These findings imply that surgeons and nephrologists should incorporate patient satisfaction into VA surgical decision-making.

No Pairwise Interactions of GmSNAP18, GmSHMT08 and AtPR1 with Suppressed AtPR1 Expression Enhance the Susceptibility of Arabidopsis to Beet Cyst Nematode.

GmSNAP18 and GmSHMT08 are two major genes conferring soybean cyst nematode (SCN) resistance in soybean. Overexpression of either of these two soybean genes would enhance the susceptibility of Arabidopsis to beet cyst nematode (BCN), while overexpression of either of their corresponding orthologs in Arabidopsis, AtSNAP2 and AtSHMT4, would suppress it. However, the mechanism by which these two pairs of orthologous genes boost or inhibit BCN susceptibility of Arabidopsis still remains elusive. In this study, Arabidopsis with simultaneously overexpressed GmSNAP18 and GmSHMT0 suppressed the growth of underground as well as above-ground parts of plants. Furthermore, Arabidopsis that simultaneously overexpressed GmSNAP18 and GmSHMT08 substantially stimulated BCN susceptibility and remarkably suppressed expression of AtPR1 in the salicylic acid signaling pathway. However, simultaneous overexpression of GmSNAP18 and GmSHMT08 did not impact the expression of AtJAR1 and AtHEL1 in the jasmonic acid and ethylene signaling pathways. GmSNAP18, GmSHMT08, and a pathogenesis-related (PR) protein, GmPR08-Bet VI, in soybean, and AtSNAP2, AtSHMT4, and AtPR1 in Arabidopsis could interact pair-wisely for mediating SCN and BCN resistance in soybean and Arabidopsis, respectively. Both AtSNAP2 and AtPR1 were localized on the plasma membrane, and AtSHMT4 was localized both on the plasma membrane and in the nucleus of cells. Nevertheless, after interactions, AtSNAP2 and AtPR1 could partially translocate into the cell nucleus. GmSNAP18 interacted with AtSHMT4, and GmSHMT4 interacted with AtSNAP2. However, neither GmSNAP18 nor GmSHMT08 interacted with AtPR1. Thus, no pairwise interactions among α-SNAPs, SHMTs, and AtPR1 occurred in Arabidopsis overexpressing either GmSNAP18 or GmSHMT08, or both of them. Transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing either GmSNAP18 or GmSHMT08 substantially suppressed AtPR1 expression, while transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing either AtSNAP2 or AtSHMT4 remarkably enhanced it. Taken together, no pairwise interactions of GmSNAP18, GmSHMT08, and AtPR1 with suppressed expression of AtPR1 enhanced BCN susceptibility in Arabidopsis. This study may provide a clue that nematode-resistant or -susceptible functions of plant genes likely depend on both hosts and nematode species.

Angiotensin II-induced calcium overload affects mitochondrial functions in cardiac hypertrophy by targeting the USP2/MFN2 axis.

Ubiquitination, a common type of post-translational modification, is known to affect various diseases, including cardiac hypertrophy. Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 2 (USP2) plays a crucial role in regulating cell functions, but its role in cardiac functions remains elusive. The present study aims to investigate the mechanism of USP2 in cardiac hypertrophy. Animal and cell models of cardiac hypertrophy were established using Angiotensin II (Ang II) induction. Our experiments revealed that Ang II induced USP2 downregulation in the in vitro and in vivo models. USP2 overexpression suppressed the degree of cardiac hypertrophy (decreased ANP, BNP, and ß-MHC mRNA levels, cell surface area, and ratio of protein/DNA), calcium overload (decreased Ca2+ concentration and t-CaMKⅡ and p-CaMKⅡ, and increased SERCA2), and mitochondrial dysfunction (decreased MDA and ROS and increased MFN1, ATP, MMP, and complex Ⅰ and II) both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanically, USP2 interacted with MFN2 and improved the protein level of MFN2 through deubiquitination. Rescue experiments confirmed that MFN2 downregulation neutralized the protective role of USP2 overexpression in cardiac hypertrophy. Overall, our findings suggested that USP2 overexpression mediated deubiquitination to upregulate MFN2, thus alleviating calcium overload-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and cardiac hypertrophy.

NanoSIMS sulfur isotopic analysis at 100 nm scale by imaging technique.

NanoSIMS has been widely used for in-situ sulfur isotopic analysis (32S and 34S) of micron-sized grains or complex zoning in sulfide in terrestrial and extraterrestrial samples. However, the conventional spot mode analysis is restricted by depth effects at the spatial resolution < 0.5-1 µm. Thus sufficient signal amount cannot be achieved due to limited analytical depths, resulting in low analytical precision (1.5‰). Here we report a new method that simultaneously improves spatial resolution and precision of sulfur isotopic analysis based on the NanoSIMS imaging mode. This method uses a long acquisition time (e.g., 3 h) for each analytical area to obtain sufficient signal amount, rastered with the Cs+ primary beam of ∼100 nm in diameter. Due to the high acquisition time, primary ion beam (FCP) intensity drifting and quasi-simultaneous arrival (QSA) significantly affects the sulfur isotopic measurement of secondary ion images. Therefore, the interpolation correction was used to eliminate the effect of FCP intensity variation, and the coefficients for the QSA correction were determined with sulfide isotopic standards. Then, the sulfur isotopic composition was acquired by the segmentation and calculation of the calibrated isotopic images. The optimal spatial resolution of ∼ 100 nm (Sampling volume of 5 nm × 1.5 µm2) for sulfur isotopic analysis can be implemented with an analytical precision of ∼1‰ (1SD). Our study demonstrates that imaging analysis is superior to spot-mode analysis in irregular analytical areas where relatively high spatial resolution and precision are required and may be widely applied to other isotopic analyses.