Root-Bacteria Associations Boost Rhizosheath Formation in Moderately Dry Soil through Ethylene Responses.

The rhizosheath is a layer of soil around the root that provides a favorable environment for soil microbe enrichment and root growth. Rice (Oryza sativa) roots form rhizosheaths under moderate soil drying (MSD) conditions, but how the rhizosheath forms associations with microbes is unclear. To investigate rice rhizosheath formation under MSD, we employed a multiphasic approach, integrating data from high-throughput sequencing and root-bacteria interactions. Rice roots formed a pronounced rhizosheath under MSD, but not under continuous flooding regimens. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria of the Enterobacteriaceae were enriched in rhizosheaths of two different rice varieties, 'Gaoshan 1' (drought tolerant) and 'Nipponbare' (drought sensitive). RNA-sequencing analysis revealed that the ethylene pathway was induced in the rhizosheath-root system under MSD. Enterobacter aerogenes, a bacterium isolated from the rhizosheath, degrades the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate, thereby increasing rhizosheath formation. Furthermore, a 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase-deficient mutant of E. aerogenes failed to enhance rice rhizosheath formation. Our results suggest that root-bacteria associations substantially contribute to rhizosheath formation in rice under MSD conditions by mechanisms that involve the ethylene response. These data inform strategies to reduce water consumption in rice production, one of the most water-intensive human activities.

Association of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) gene polymorphisms with the intramuscular fat content in two Chinese beef cattle breeds.

Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) was considered as an essential enzyme in glucolipid metabolism. It has been proposed to be a lead candidate gene for genetic markers of lipid deposition in livestock. The aim of this study was to identify sequence variants (SVs) of the bovine HSL gene and evaluate the relations to intramuscular fat in two indigenous Chinese beef cattle breeds. Expression analysis by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions (qPCR) indicated that expression levels of bovine HSL gene were highest in the perirenal fat and heart within two different age stage (adult and calf), respectively. Five SVs were identified by direct DNA sequencing, which included four missense mutations (g.16563C>T, g.16734G>A, g.16896A>G, g.17388G>T) in exon 8 and a synonymous mutation (g.17402C>T) in exon 9. Population genetic analysis showed that except for g.16563C>T and g.17402C>T, all the other detected SVs strongly affected the bovine intramuscular fat content (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). The individuals with Hap5/5 diplotypes (CC-GG-GG-GG-CC) was highly significantly associated with intramuscular fat content than the other diplotypes (P < 0.01). The above results suggested that the HSL gene can used as potential candidate markers gene for the beef breed improvement through marker assisted selection in Chinese cattle breeds.

Moderate water stress in rice induces rhizosheath formation associated with abscisic acid and auxin responses.

The rhizosheath is known to be beneficial for drought resistance in many plants, but the regulation of rhizosheath formation in rice plants is unclear. Here, we investigate rhizosheath formation in different rice varieties and root hair mutants. Our results showed that moderate water stress in rice induced rhizosheath formation. The soil porosity and water content were higher in the rice rhizosheath than in the rice bulk soil under moderate water stress. Additionally, rhizosheath formation in short root hair mutants was lower than in wild-type rice under moderate water stress. Moreover, transcriptomic results indicated that abscisic acid (ABA) and auxin were involved in root and root hair responses in rhizosheath formation. Further, blocking ABA and auxin pathways in wild type and in rhl1-1, the shortest root hair mutant, rhizosheath formation and root hair length were significantly decreased under moderate water stress. However, wild type plants maintained a higher root ABA content, root basipetal auxin transport, root hair length, and amount of rhizosheath than did rhl1-1. Our results suggest that moderate water stress in rice induces rhizosheath formation by modulating the ABA and auxin responses to regulate root and root hair growth, which may be used to breed rice varieties resistant to drought.

Non-Genomic Action of Androgens is Mediated by Rapid Phosphorylation and Regulation of Androgen Receptor Trafficking.

BACKGROUND: Testosterone is critical for maintaining spermatogenesis and male fertility. The accomplishment of these processes requires the synergistic actions of the classical and non-classical signaling pathways of androgens. METHODS: A murine testicular Sertoli cell line, TM4 cell was used to examine androgen actions in Sertoli cells. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence assay were employed to study the testosterone-induced Androgen receptor (AR) translocation. Protein phosphorylation antibody array was applied to identify the phosphorylation sites under testosterone treatment, and these findings were verified by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: We found that a physiological dose of testosterone induced fast membrane association of AR. By using a phosphorylation antibody array, several phosphorylation sites, such as MEK1/2 (Ser217/221), Akt (Ser473), and Erk1/2 (Thr202/Tyr204) were rapidly phosphorylated within 5 min of testosterone treatment. Inhibition of the MEK and Akt signaling pathways prevented AR trafficking. Blocking of AR by flutamide eliminated the stimulation effect of testosterone on kinase phosphorylation. Testosterone induced kinase Src phosphorylation, and inhibition of Src restricted AR translocation to the membrane and the nucleus. CONCLUSION: Findings suggested that the membrane association of AR was mediated by the MEK and Akt phosphorylation signaling pathways, which resulted in Src activation and was initiated by testosterone binding to the membrane-localized AR. This study provides new insights into the testosterone signaling pathway in Sertoli cells, which mediate spermatogenesis. In addition, the study can be used in the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility caused by disorders in spermatogenesis.

[Expression characteristics of the 1700008O03Rik gene in the mouse testis during spermatogenesis and results of bioinformatic analysis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics of the expression of the RIKEN cDNA 1700008O03 (1700008O03Rik) gene in the testis of the mouse from birth to sexual maturity and its potential role in regulating spermatogenesis. METHODS: Using mouse gene expression profile microarray, we screened the testis-specific gene 1700008O03Rik from the mouse. We studied the expression characteristics of the gene in the development of the mouse testis by reverse transcription PCR, quantitative real-time PCR, Western-blot, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence, and analyzed the structure of the 1700008O03Rik protein and its homology with other species using the bioinformatic software. RESULTS: 1700008O03Rik gene was highly expressed in the testis of the mouse, increasing in an age-dependent manner, and mainly in the endochylema of oblong spermatozoa. Bioinformatic analysis revealed a high homology of the 1700008O03Rik protein between human and mice, and phylogenetic tree analysis showed it to be highly conserved in mammalian evolution. CONCLUSIONS: 1700008O03Rik is a highly expressed gene in the mouse testis, mainly in the endochylema of oblong spermatozoa, which may be involved in the regulation of spermatogenesis in mice.

[Expression characteristics of the Daxx gene in the mouse testis during spermatogenesis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression characteristic of the Daxx gene in the mouse testis and its role in spermatogenesis. METHODS: Real-time PCR, Western blot and immunofluorescence were used in examining the expression characteristics of DAXX in the testis tissue from wild-type, Sertoli cell-specific androgen receptor knockout (SCARKO) and androgen receptor knockout (ARKO) mice at different postnatal weeks . RESULTS: The Daxx gene was highly expressed in the testis tissue and mainly in the nuclei of the wild-type mice at 4 postnatal weeks. Compared with the wild-type, the ARKO mice showed a markedly decreased expression of DAXX (0.299±0.026), which displayed a polar distribution in the spermatogenic cells (0.853±0.058) and exhibited no significant difference in the SCARKO mice (1.000±0.015). CONCLUSIONS: The Daxx gene expression is the highest in the middle-stage development of the mouse testis, significantly decreased in ARKO mice as compared with the wild-type, and its location influenced by specific AR knockout in Sertoli cells. DAXX may be involved in the regulation of spermatogenesis in mice.

Tsc1 deficiency-mediated mTOR hyperactivation in vascular endothelial cells causes angiogenesis defects and embryonic lethality.

This is a study on the role of tuberous sclerosis complex1 (TSC1) mutation and mTOR activation in endothelial cells during angiogenic and embryonic development. Past studies had shown that Tsc1/Tsc2 mutant genes lead to overactivation of mTOR in the regulating pathways in developing fetus. We used conditional Cre-loxp gene knockout approach to delete Tsc1 in mice's endothelial cells in our experimental models. Similarly, activation of mTOR signaling in endothelial cells of these embryos (Tie2-Cre/Tsc1(-/-)) was found. Majority of Tie2-Cre/Tsc1(-/-) embryos died at embryonic day 14.5 in utero. Cardiovascular defects, subcutaneous edema and hemorrhage were present among them. Whole-mount immunostaining in these embryos revealed a disorganized vascular network, defective sprouting of vessels in yolk sac and thickening of the labyrinth layer in the placenta. A thinner ventricular wall with disorganized trabeculae was present in the hearts of Tie2-Cre/Tsc1(-/-) embryos. Endothelial cells in Tsc1-deficient mice showed defective mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticular morphology, but no significant change was observed in cell junctions. The mutant embryos displayed significantly reduced cell proliferation, increased apoptosis and disturbed expression of angiogenic factors. A cohort of mice was treated prenatally with mTOR inhibitor rapamycin. The offspring of these mutant mice survived up to 22 days after birth. It was concluded that physiological TSC1-mTOR signaling in endothelial cells is crucial for vascular development and embryogenesis. We postulated that disruption of normal angiogenic pathways through hyperactive mTOR signaling maybe the mechanism that lead to deranged vascular pathogenesis in the tuberous sclerosis complex.

The Wilms tumor gene, Wt1, is critical for mouse spermatogenesis via regulation of sertoli cell polarity and is associated with non-obstructive azoospermia in humans.

Azoospermia is one of the major reproductive disorders which cause male infertility in humans; however, the etiology of this disease is largely unknown. In the present study, six missense mutations of WT1 gene were detected in 529 human patients with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), indicating a strong association between WT1 mutation and NOA. The Wilms tumor gene, Wt1, is specifically expressed in Sertoli cells (SCs) which support spermatogenesis. To examine the functions of this gene in spermatogenesis, Wt1 was deleted in adult testis using Wt1(flox) and Cre-ER(TM) mice strains. We found that inactivation of Wt1 resulted in massive germ cell death and only SCs were present in most of the seminiferous tubules which was very similar to NOA in humans. In investigating the potential mechanism for this, histological studies revealed that the blood-testis barrier (BTB) was disrupted in Wt1 deficient testes. In vitro studies demonstrated that Wt1 was essential for cell polarity maintenance in SCs. Further studies found that the expression of cell polarity associated genes (Par6b and E-cadherin) and Wnt signaling genes (Wnt4, Wnt11) were downregulated in Wt1 deficient SCs, and that the expression of Par6b and E-cadherin was regulated by Wnt4. Our findings suggest that Wt1 is important in spermatogenesis by regulating the polarity of SCs via Wnt signaling pathway and that WT1 mutation is one of the genetic causes of NOA in humans.

[Expression characteristics of the Ccdc70 gene in the mouse testis during spermatogenesis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression characteristics of the gene of coiled-coil domain-containing protein 70 (Ccdc70) in the mouse testis and its potential role in spermatogenesis. METHODS: Using expression profile microarray, we screened the mouse testis-specific gene Ccdc70, studied its expression characteristics in the mouse testis by RT-PCR, real-time PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry, followed by bioinformatic analysis of the Ccdc70 protein. RESULTS: The Ccdc70 gene was expressed highly in the testis but lowly in the epididymis of the mice. The Ccdc70 protein was expressed mainly in the spermatocytes and round spermatids of the testis and in the epithelial cells of the epididymis. Bioinformatic analysis showed a structural domain in the Ccdc70 protein, which was highly conserved in mammalian evolution. CONCLUSION: The Ccdc70 gene is highly expressed in the mouse testis and mainly in the spermatocytes, round spermatids, and epididymal epithelial cells, which indicates that it is involved in the regulation of spermatogenesis and epididymal sperm maturation.

[Supercontinuum Generation in Tapered Microstructure Fibers with Different Taper Length by Using Femtosecond Laser].

Tapered microstructure fibers with different taper lengths and waist diameters are pumped with femtosecond laser for supercontinuum generation. With "fast and cold tapered method", home made microstructure fiber with air-hole pitch Λ=6.53 µm and normalized air-hole diameter d/Λ=0.79 were tapered to 6, 8, 10 mm taper length while keeping d/Λ unchanged. Numerical simulations show that the zero dispersion wavelength shifts to blue when the taper waist shrinks. The zero dispersion wavelengths for untapered and 6, 8, 10 mm length tapered fiber were 1 029, 885, 806, and 637 nm, respectively. In the experiment, 120 fs pulses centered at 810 nm, which is generated by mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser at a repetition rate of 76 MHz, is coupled into the tapered microstructure fiber. With the tapered length of 6 mm, the center wavelength of the pump light locates in the normal dispersion region of the fiber and near the zero dispersion wavelength of the tapered waist. The main factors causes spectra broaden are intrapulse Raman scattering and cascaded four-wave mixing. When the pump power reaches 450 mW, continuous spectra with -5 dB flatness are generated at 390~461 and 1 134~1 512 nm. With 500 mW pump power, supercontinuum spans from 366 to 2 450 nm, which has already covered ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared and mid-infrared. This broadband spectrum almost reaches the red and blue edges of the microstructure fiber's transmission bandwidth. With 8mm tapered length and 450 mW pump power, the blue edge of the continuous spectrum shifts down to 366 nm as a result of group velocity match and group acceleration mismatch, a 9 nm deeper blue shift compared to results from 6mm tapered length. With the tapered length of 10 mm, because the zero dispersion wavelength of the waist also moves to visible region, phase matching condition can still be satisfied in that region. Due to the effect of cascaded four-wave mixing, the frequency up conversion is realized in visible region. When pump power reaches 500mW, up conversion frequency lies in 30 nm band from 382 to 412 nm, the conversion efficiency is up to 27.7%.

Expression of the SIRT2 gene and its relationship with body size traits in Qinchuan cattle (Bos taurus).

Silent information regulator 2 (SIRT2) is a member of the sirtuin family of class III NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide)-dependent protein deacetylases and may regulate senescence, metabolism and apoptosis. The aims of this study were to investigate whether the SIRT2 gene could be used as a candidate gene in the breeding of Qinchuan cattle. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results showed that among all types of tissue that were analyzed, the highest mRNA expression levels of the gene were found in subcutaneous fat. DNA sequencing of 468 individual Qinchuan cattle identified two novel, single nucleotide polymorphisms (g.19501 C > T and g.19518 C > T) in the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of the SIRT2 gene. The frequencies of SNP g.19501 C > T and g.19518 C > T were in Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium in all the samples (chi-square test, χ2 < χ0.052). An association analysis showed that the two loci were significantly correlated with some body size traits and the H2H2 (-CT-CT-) diplotypes performed better than other combinations. These results indicated that the variations in the SIRT2 gene and their corresponding genotypes may be considered as molecular markers for economic traits in cattle breeding.

[Expression of a testis-specific gene 1700001022RIK in mice and its bioinformatic analysis].

OBJECTIVE: To identify the expression characteristics of the 1700001022RIK (RIKEN cDNA 1700001022) gene in mice and explore its function by bioinformatic analysis. METHODS: Using the expression profile of gene microarray, we detected the expression of a new testis-specific gene, 1700001022RIK, in mice. We analyzed its expression characteristics in the testis tissue and their changes in different developmental stages of the testis by RT-PCR, real-time RT-PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. We performed bioinformatic analysis using a bioinformatic software. RESULTS: The 1700001022RIK gene was specifically expressed in the mouse testis in an age-dependent manner, most highly in the adult mice. The 1700001022RIK protein was mainly expressed in the spermatogonia, spermatocytes, and round spermatids of the adult mice. Bioinformatic analysis showed that the 1700001022RIK protein amino acid sequence had a high similarity in human and mice, which indicated that this gene was highly conserved in mammals. CONCLUSION: 1700001022RIK is a testis-specific gene mainly expressed in the spermatogonia, spermatocytes, and round spermatids of seminiferous tubules, which might be involved in the regulation of spermatogenesis.

Characteristics of serum lipid metabolism in patients with autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

OBJECTIVE: To study the serum lipid panels in consecutive autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis(APAP)patients and analyze their relationship with anti-granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor(GM-CSF)antibody and other markers. METHODS: Thirty-two non-diabetic APAP patients were enrolled in the study. Serum lipids of these patients and 100 healthy volunteers were tested after an overnight fasting. Anti-GM-CSF antibody levels were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The correlation of serum lipids with lactate dehydrogenase,carcinoembryonic antigen,pulmonary function,and artery blood gas parameters were analyzed. RESULTS: Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels [(5.54±0.99)and(3.73±0.83)mmol/L respectively] were significantly higher in APAP patients than in healthy volunteers [(5.05±0.97)and(3.17±0.89)mmol/L respectively](all P<0.05). High-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)level of the APAP group [(1.10±0.18)mmol/L ]was significantly lower than that of the healthy group(P<0.05). Low-density lipoprotein/HDL and total cholesterol/HDL ratios in the APAP group(3.47±0.90 and 5.14±1.12 respectively)were significantly higher than those in the healthy group[(2.63±0.87)and(4.18±1.12)](all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in triglyceride level between the two groups(P>0.05). HDL-C level was negatively correlated with alveolar-arterial oxygen pressure difference(r=-0.436,P<0.05)and positively correlated with arterial oxygen saturation(r=0.459,P<0.05). None of the lipid markers correlated with serum anti-GM-CSF antibody levels(all P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: APAP patients were likely to suffer from disturbed lipid metabolism,which was correlated with disease severity to some degree. Lipid markers deserved more attention in the management of APAP patients.

[UBE2B gene and male infertility: an update].

Male infertility is a worldwide problem, and about 15% of the cases are associated with spermatogenesis-related gene mutation. The mammalian gene UBE2B is the homolog of the RAD6 gene of yeast, belonging to the ubiquitin proteasome system and playing an important role in spermatogenesis. Mice lacking the UBE2B gene are infertile, with reduced sperm motility, increased morphologically abnormal sperm, and inhibited meiosis of spermatogonia. Accumulated evidence shows that UBE2B gene mutants and single nucleotide polymorphisms are associated with male infertility. This article reviews the relation between the UBE2B gene and male infertility, offering some theoretical evidence for the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility.

[Study on phase-matching of four-wave mixing spectrum in photonic crystal fiber].

In the present paper, the four-wave mixing principle of fiber was analyzed, and the high-gain phase-matching conditions were shown. The nonlinear coefficient and dispersion characteristics of photonic crystal fibers were calculated by multipole method. The phase mismatch characteristics of fibers with multiple zero-dispersion wavelengths were analyzed for the first time. The changing rules of phase matching wavelength with the pump wavelength and the pump power were obtained, and the phase matching curves were shown. The characteristics of phase matching wavelengths for different dispersion curves were analyzed. There are four new excitation wavelengths of four-wave mixing spectrum in two zero-dispersion wavelength photonic crystal fiers. Four-wave mixing spectroscopy of photonic crystal fibers with two zero-dispersion wavelengths was obtained in the experi-ent, which is consistent with the theoretical analysis, and verified the reliability of the phase matching theory. The fiber with multiple zero-dispersion wavelengths can create a ricbhphase-matching topology, excite more four-wave mixing wavelengths, ena-ling enhanced control over the spectral locations of the four-wave mixing and resonant-radiation bands emitted by solitons and short pulses. These provide theoretical guidance for photonic crystal fiber wavelength conversion and supercontinoum generation based on four-wave mixing.

Coactivation of Hydrogen Peroxide Using Pyrogenic Carbon and Magnetite for Sustainable Oxidation of Organic Pollutants.

Pyrogenic carbon and magnetite (Fe3O4) were mixed together for the activation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), aiming to enhance the oxidation of refractory pollutants in a sustainable way. The experimental results indicated that the straw-derived carbon obtained by pyrolysis at 500-800 °C was efficient on coactivation of H2O2, and the most efficient one was that prepared at 700 °C (C700) featured with abundant defects. Specifically, the reaction rate constant (kobs) for removal of an antibiotic ciprofloxacin in the coactivation system (C700/Fe3O4/H2O2) is 12.5 times that in the magnetite-catalyzed system (Fe3O4/H2O2). The faster pollutant oxidation is attributed to the sustainable production of •OH in the coactivation process, in which the carbon facilitated decomposition of H2O2 and regeneration of Fe(II). Besides the enhanced H2O2 utilization in the coactivation process, the leaching of iron was controlled within the concentration limit in drinking water (0.3 mg·L-1) set by the World Health Organization.

N,S-codoped biochar outperformed N-doped biochar on co-activation of H2O2 with trace dissolved Fe(â ¢) for enhanced oxidation of organic pollutants.

Co-activation of H2O2 with biochar and iron sources together provides an attractive strategy for efficient removal of refractory pollutants, because it can solve the problems of slow Fe(Ⅱ) regeneration in Fenton/Fenton-like processes and of low •OH yield in biochar-activated process. In this study, a wood-derived biochar (WB) was modified by heteroatom doping for the objective of enhancing its reactivity toward co-activation of H2O2. The performance of the co-activated system using doped biochars and trace dissolved Fe(Ⅲ) on oxidation of organic pollutants was evaluated for the first time. The characterizations using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectra and electrochemical analyses indicate that heteroatom doping introduced more defects in biochar and improved its electron transfer capacity. The oxidation experiments show that heteroatom doping improved the performance of biochar in the co-activated process, in which the N,S-codoped biochar (NSB) outperformed the N-doped biochar (NB) on oxidation of pollutants. The reaction rate constant (kobs) for oxidation of sulfadiazine in NSB + Fe + H2O2 is 2.25 times that in NB + Fe + H2O2, and is 72.9 times that in the Fenton-like process without biochar, respectively. The mechanism investigations indicate that heteroatom doping enhanced biochar's reactivity on catalyzing the decomposition of H2O2 and on reduction of Fe(Ⅲ) due to the improved electron transfer/donation capacity. In comparison with N-doping, N,S-codoping provided additional electron donor (thiophenic C-S-C) for faster regeneration of Fe(Ⅱ) with less amount of doping reagent used. Furthermore, co-activation with NSB maintained to be efficient at a milder acidic pH than Fenton/Fenton-like processes, and can be used for oxidation of different pollutants and in real water. Therefore, this research provides a novel, sustainable and cost-efficient method for oxidation of refractory pollutants.

Influence of acid rain and root reinforcement coupling factors on disintegration characteristics of expansive soil.

The effect of soil fixation and anti-scour instability of slope vegetation generally depends on the strength and anti-disintegration ability of slope soil due to increase of root system. Therefore, it is particularly necessary to study the disintegration characteristics of expansive soil related to slope instability under acidic conditions (simulated acid rain). In this paper, the response surface method (RSM) was used with the pH value, root diameter, root length, root coefficient, and distribution as independent variables, and the disintegration amount of root-soil (DARS) after 60min as the response value. Then X-ray diffractometer (XRD) was used to analyze the mineral composition changes of the sample under this environment. Simultaneously, the plasticity index of expansive soil at different values of pH was studied to discuss the disintegration mechanism of root compound expansive soil in an acid environments. The results show that the root system improves the anti-disintegration characteristics of the root-soil, and the effects of various factors on the amount of disintegration were as follows: root length > pH value > root distribution > root amount > root diameter. The DARS with a length of 20mm increased by 26.67% and 41.56% compared to the 30mm and 40mm. Compared to the horizontal distribution and horizontal + slant distribution, the DARS with slant distribution was increases by 11.39% and 20.24% respectively. The DARS with 2 roots is increased by 9.92% and 16.75% compared to 4 and 6 roots respectively. The 1mm diameter DARS is 6.65% and 15.49% higher than the 2mm and 3mm, respectively. In addition, an acidic environments can lead to an increase in the amount of disintegration or rate of disintegration. The disintegration at pH = 4.2 was increased by 11.4% and 22.4% compared to pH = 5.6 and pH = 7, respectively. The acidity affects soil disintegration is due to the hydrophilic minerals in the expansive soil react with H+ ion in the acid solution to form soluble salts. Due to the dissociation and leaching of free quartz and metal oxides in the soil to varying degrees, the ability of expansive soil to accumulate is reduced. The intensity of erosion and leaching decreases with increasing pH. In addition, the pH value can affects the plasticity index of the soil, which increases with the increasing pH, thus affects the disintegration properties of the expansive soil.

Effect of all-trans-retinoic acid on the expression of primordial germ cell differentiation-associated genes in mESC-derived EBs.

atRA (all-trans-retinoic acid) is known to induce the differentiation of mESCs (mouse embryonic stem cells) into PGCs (primordial germ cells) in vitro. However, it is not clear as to what changes occur in PGC differentiation-associated genes or what mechanisms are involved when EBs (embryoid bodies) derived from mESCs are induced by atRA. EBs derived from mESCs were treated with 1, 2 or 5 µM atRA for 16 h, 2 days or 5 days. Real-time PCR and Western blot analysis were performed to detect the relative levels of PGC differentiation-associated genes (Lin28, Blimp1, Stra8 and Mvh) and the corresponding proteins respectively. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the protein location and distribution in EBs. The expression characteristics of genes could be divided into three categories: rapidly reached the peak value in 16 h and then decreased (Stra8, Lin28), initially low and then increased to reach the peak value in 5 days (Mvh) and relatively unchanged (Blimp1). A low level of Lin28 was expressed in EBs treated with atRA for 2 days or 5 days. The variation in the level of Lin28 mRNA did not influence the change in the level of Blimp1 mRNA. The changes in Stra8/Lin28 were consistent with the corresponding changes in the levels of their respective mRNAs, but the changes for Mvh/Blimp1 were not consistent with the corresponding changes in the levels of their respective mRNAs. Blimp1 expression may be independent of the effect of atRA on PGC differentiation. atRA may promote the start of a period in which there is a low level of Lin28 expression during PGC differentiation.

Identification and Expression Profiles of Putative Soluble Chemoreception Proteins from Lasioderma serricorne (Coleoptera: Anobiidae) Antennal Transcriptome.

The cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Anobiidae), is a destructive stored product pest worldwide. Adult cigarette beetles are known to rely on host volatiles and pheromones to locate suitable habitats for oviposition and mating, respectively. However, little is known about the chemosensory mechanisms of these pests. Soluble chemoreception proteins are believed to initiate olfactory signal transduction in insects, which play important roles in host searching and mating behaviors. In this study, we sequenced the antennal transcriptome of L. serricorne and identified 14 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), 5 chemosensory proteins (CSPs), and 2 Niemann-Pick C2 proteins (NPC2). Quantitative realtime PCR (qPCR) results revealed that several genes (LserOBP2, 3, 6, and 14) were predominantly expressed in females, which might be involved in specific functions in this gender. The five LserOBPs (LserOBP1, 4, 8, 10, and 12) that were highly expressed in the male antennae might encode proteins involved in specific functions in males. These findings will contribute to a better understanding of the olfactory system in this stored product pest and will assist in the development of efficient and environmentally friendly strategies for controlling L. serricorne.