Contribution to the mitogenome diversity in Delphacinae: Phylogenetic and ecological implications.

We document the complete (or nearly complete) mitogenomes of 20 Delphacidae taxa, and together with 17 other delphacid mitogenomes currently in GenBank, to reconstruct the phylogeny of the Delphacinae and to investigate mitogenome differences among members of Delphacini, Tropidocephalini and Saccharosydnini. The mitogenomes of the 20 species encode the complete set of 37 genes usually found in animal mitogenomes. The length of complete mitogenomes in Delphacinae ranges from 15,531 to 16,231 bp. The gene order of all newly sequenced mitogenomes are identical, and the mitogenome gene order of Stenocranus matsumurai Metcalf in Stenocraninae has a transposition of tRNAThr. The two-clade system in Tropidocephalini was supported with high value (PP = 1, BS = 100), and the monophyly of Bambusiphaga was recovered in this study. Finally, we found that the host shift from plants with a C3 to a C4 photosynthetic pathway appears to have occurred independently in several clades.

Synthesis of 7'-Arylidenespiro[indoline-3,1'-pyrrolizines] and 7'-Arylidenespiro[indene-2,1'-pyrrolizines] via [3 + 2] Cycloaddition and ß-C-H Functionalized Pyrrolidine.

The acetic acid catalyzed three-component reaction of pyrrolidine, aromatic aldehydes, and 3-arylideneoxindolin-2-ones in refluxing toluene afforded functionalized 7'-arylidenespiro[indoline-3,1'-pyrrolizines] in good yields and with high diastereoselectivity. The similar three-component reaction with 2-arylidene-1,3-indanediones also gave 7'-arylidenespiro[indene-2,1'-pyrrolizines] in good yields. However, the reaction with 3-phenacylideneoxindoles resulted in a mixture of spiro[indoline-3,1'-pyrrolizines] and 7'-arylidene-substituted spirooxindoles in moderate yields. The reaction mechanism included generation of azomethine ylides, ß-C-H functionalization of pyrrolidine, and sequential [3 + 2] cycloaddition. The obtained spirooxindole derivatives were investigated by in vitro evaluation against mouse colon cancer cells CT26 and human liver cancer cells HepG2 by MTT assay.

Sustained energy intake in lactating Swiss mice: a dual modulation process.

Limits to sustained energy intake (SusEI) during lactation are important because they provide an upper boundary below which females must trade off competing physiological activities. To date, SusEI is thought to be limited either by the capacity of the mammary glands to produce milk (the peripheral limitation hypothesis) or by a female's ability to dissipate body heat (the heat dissipation hypothesis). In the present study, we examined the effects of litter size and ambient temperature on a set of physiological, behavioral and morphological indicators of SusEI and reproductive performance in lactating Swiss mice. Our results indicate that energy input, energy output and mammary gland mass increased with litter size, whereas pup body mass and survival rate decreased. The body temperature increased significantly, while food intake (18 g day-1 at 21°C versus 10 g day-1 at 30°C), thermal conductance (lower by 20-27% at 30°C than 21°C), litter mass and milk energy output decreased significantly in the females raising a large litter size at 30°C compared with those at 21°C. Furthermore, an interaction between ambient temperature and litter size affected females' energy budget, imposing strong constraints on SusEI. Together, our data suggest that the limitation may be caused by both mammary glands and heat dissipation, i.e. peripheral limitation is dominant at room temperature, but heat dissipation is more significant at warm temperatures. Further, the level of the heat dissipation limits may be temperature dependent, shifting down with increasing temperature.

New uses for old drugs: the tale of artemisinin derivatives in the elimination of schistosomiasis japonica in China.

Artemisinin (qinghaosu), extracted from the Chinese herb Artemisia annua L. in 1972, and its three major derivatives--artemether, artesunate and dihydroartemisinin--were firstly identified as antimalarials and found active against all species of the malaria parasite. Since the early 1980s, artemisinin and its derivatives have been found efficacious against Schistosoma spp., notably larval parasites, and artemisinin derivatives have played a critical role in the prevention and treatment of human schistosomiasis in China. Currently, China is moving towards the progress of schistosomiasis elimination. However, the potential development of praziquantel resistance may pose a great threat to the progress of elimination of schistosomiasis japonica in China. Fortunately, these three major artemisinin derivatives also exhibit actions against adult parasites, and reduced sensitivity to artemether, artesunate and dihydroartemisinin has been detected in praziquantel-resistant S. japonicum. In this review, we describe the application of artemisinin derivatives in the prevention and treatment of schistosomiasis japonica in China, so as to provide tools for the global agenda of schistosomiasis elimination. In addition to antimalarial and antischistosomal actions, they also show activities against other parasites and multiple cancers. Artemisinin derivatives, as old drugs identified firstly as antimalarials, continue to create new stories.

Lauriana Ren & Qin, a new genus of the tribe Tropidocephalini (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Delphacidae) from China.

A new delphacid genus and species, Lauriana senticosa Ren & Qin, gen. et sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Delphacidae: Tropidocephalini) is described from Sichuan, China. Habitus photos and illustrations of male genitalia of the new species are given, and the differences between the new genus and its closely related genera are discussed.

Chromosome-level Genome Assembly of Theretra japonica (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae).

Theretra japonica is an important pollinator and agricultural pest in the family Sphingidae with a wide range of host plants. High-quality genomic resources facilitate investigations into behavioral ecology, morphological and physiological adaptations, and the evolution of genomic architecture. However, chromosome-level genome of T. japonica is still lacking. Here we sequenced and assembled the high-quality genome of T. japonica by combining PacBio long reads, Illumina short reads, and Hi-C data. The genome was contained in 95 scaffolds with an accumulated length of 409.55 Mb (BUSCO calculated a genome completeness of 99.2%). The 29 pseudochromosomes had a combined length of 403.77 Mb, with a mapping rate of 98.59%. The genomic characterisation of T. japonica will contribute to further studies for Sphingidae and Lepidoptera.

A chromosome-level genome assembly of the forestry pest Coronaproctus castanopsis.

As an important forestry pest, Coronaproctus castanopsis (Monophlebidae) has caused serious damage to the globally valuable Gutianshan ecosystem, China. In this study, we assembled the first chromosome-level genome of the female specimen of C. castanopsis by merging BGI reads, HiFi long reads and Hi-C data. The assembled genome size is 700.81 Mb, with a scaffold N50 size of 273.84 Mb and a contig N50 size of 12.37 Mb. Hi-C scaffolding assigned 98.32% (689.03 Mb) of C. Castanopsis genome to three chromosomes. The BUSCO analysis (n = 1,367) showed a completeness of 91.2%, comprising 89.2% of single-copy BUSCOs and 2.0% of multicopy BUSCOs. The mapping ratio of BGI, second-generation RNA, third-generation RNA and HiFi reads are 97.84%, 96.15%, 97.96%, and 99.33%, respectively. We also identified 64.97% (455.3 Mb) repetitive elements, 1,373 non-coding RNAs and 10,542 protein-coding genes. This study assembled a high-quality genome of C. castanopsis, which accumulated valuable molecular data for scale insects.

The mitochondrial genome of Dendroctonus rufipennis (Kirby, 1837) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) and its phylogenetic analyses.

The mitogenome of Dendroctonus rufipennis is a circular molecule of 16,547 bp which consists of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and a control region (GenBank accession no. NC_063906). All of 13 PCGs initiate with the standard start codon of ATN. Most PCGs used the typical stop codon 'TAA' or 'TAG', only nad5 terminated with incomplete stop codon (TA). Phylogenetic analyses within the Scolytinae were performed based on nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial PCGs. The topology showed that D. rufipennis, D. valens, and Tomicus piniperda formed a clade, and also clustered together with Hylastes opacus, H. attenuatus, H. brunneus, and H. ater. This indicated that there is a close genetic relationship between these species.

Complete mitochondrial characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of Deilephila elpenor (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae).

Deilephila elpenor is widely distributed in countries of Asia and Central Europe, and the larva is recognized as significant agriculture pest. The complete mitochondrial genome of D. elpenor is 15,372 bp in length. It contains 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and a control region. TAA is utilized as the termination codon for most PCGs, however, cox1 and cox2 use the incomplete termination codon T, and nad3 uses TAG as the termination codon. UUA (Leu) is the most frequently used codon, GCG (Ala) and CCG (Pro) are the least frequently used codons. In addition, we selected 15 species sequences closest to this species from NCBI, and used Manduca quinquemaculata and Manduca sexta (Lepidoptera: Smerinthinae) as the outgroup. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that D. elpenor was the most closely related to genus Theretra, genus Rhagastis and Cechenena minor.

Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Smerinthus caecus (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae).

In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the complete mitogenome of Smerinthus caecus Ménétriés, 1857. The mitogenome of S. caecus is a circular structure, and 15,363 bp long in size and encodes 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), and a control region (CR). An extremely high AT bias of 79.2% was found in the nucleotide composition of mitogenome. Most of the PCGs used ATN as the start codon and TAA or TAG as the stop codon, which is similar to most other insect mitogenomes, except cox1, which starts with CGA. The phylogeny of Smerinthinae was reconstructed using a maximum-likelihood method, a total of 33 mitogenomes were sampled for phylogenetic analyses. The subfamily Langiinae was selected as outgroup. The results confirmed the position of S. caecus in the Smerinthinae, in which Smerinthus caecus was placed as the sister taxon to Smerinthus planus, then to Laothoe amurensis.

Xanthomonas campestris VemR enhances the transcription of the T3SS key regulator HrpX via physical interaction with HrpG.

VemR is a response regulator of the two-component signalling systems (TCSs). It consists solely of a receiver domain. Previous studies have shown that VemR plays an important role in influencing the production of exopolysaccharides and exoenzymes, cell motility, and virulence of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc). However, whether VemR is involved in the essential pathogenicity determinant type III secretion system (T3SS) is unclear. In this work, we found by transcriptome analysis that VemR modulates about 10% of Xcc genes, which are involved in various cellular processes including the T3SS. Further experiments revealed that VemR physically interacts with numerous proteins, including the TCS sensor kinases HpaS and RavA, and the TCS response regulator HrpG, which directly activates the transcription of HrpX, a key regulator controlling T3SS expression. It has been demonstrated previously that HpaS composes a TCS with HrpG or VemR to control the expression of T3SS or swimming motility, while RavA and VemR form a TCS to control the expression of flagellar genes. Mutation analysis and in vitro transcription assay revealed that phosphorylation might be essential for the function of VemR and phosphorylated VemR could significantly enhance the activation of hrpX transcription by HrpG. We infer that the binding of VemR to HrpG can modulate the activity of HrpG to the hrpX promoter, thereby enhancing hrpX transcription. Although further studies are required to validate this inference and explore the detailed functional mechanism of VemR, our findings provide some insights into the complex regulatory cascade of the HpaS/RavA-VemR/HrpG-HrpX signal transduction system in the control of T3SS.

Solid Electrolyte Interphase Structure Regulated by Functional Electrolyte Additive for Enhancing Li Metal Anode Performance.

Lithium (Li) metal anodes have become an important component of the next generation of high energy density batteries. However, the Li metal anode still has problems such as Li dendrite growth and unstable solid electrolyte interface layer. Herein, we present a functional electrolyte additive (PANHF) successfully synthesized from acrylonitrile and hexafluorobutyl methacrylate via a polymerization reaction. With extensive analytical characterization, it is found that the PANHF can improve the reversibility and Coulombic efficiency of the Li deposition/dissolution reaction and prevent the growth of Li dendrites by forming a solid electrolyte interphase rich in organic matter on the outer layer and LiF on the inner layer. The results show that the cycling performance of the Li/Li cell was greatly improved in the electrolyte containing 0.5 wt % PANHF. Specifically, the cycling stability of more than 700 cycles was achieved at a current density of 1.0 mA cm-2. Moreover, the Li/NCM811 cell with 0.5 wt % PANHF has a higher capacity of 137.7 mA h g-1 at 1.0 C and a capacity retention of 83.41% after 200 cycles. This work highlights the importance of protecting the Li metal anode with functional bipolymer additives for next-generation Li metal batteries.

[Risk evaluation of Schistosomiasis japonica in potential endemic areas in China].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the impact of large hydraulic projects on schistosomiasis transmission and evaluate the transmission risk in potential endemic areas. METHODS: During 2008-2010, surveillance on risk factors related to schistosomiasis transmission and risk assessment were carried out in potential endemic sites in counties of Xuyu, Hongze, Jinhu, and Gaoyou in Jiangsu Province, Weishan County in Shangdong, Qianjiang City and Yiling District of Yichang City in Hubei, Juchao District of Chaohu City in Anhui Province, Wanzhou and Kaixian in Chongqing in Three Gorges Dam region or passed by South-to-North Water Diversion Project and Zhangjiagang City in Jiangsu Province located in lower reach of Yangtze River. At least one fixed and three temporary monitoring sites were set in each county (city or district). Local inhabitants aged 6-65 years old were screened by indirect haemagglutination assay (IHA) or ELISA, and the sero-positives were tested by Kato-Katz or miracidium hatching techniques to investigate possible infection in 2008. The endemic status of schistosomiasis in mobile population was surveyed every year during 2008-2010. Infection status in livestocks was surveyed in Juchao, Qianjiang, Gaoyou and Wanzhou Counties in 2008-2010. Oncomelania hupensis distribution was investigated in risky and suspicious areas. Snail spreading investigation was conducted through salvaging floater and snails-inducing by straw curtains in rivers connected with Yangtze River. RESULTS: 8 256 local inhabitants were investigated by serological tests with a positive rate of 0.7% (60/8 256). Among the 60 serologically positive subjects, 55 individuals were examined by stool examination but none of them was egg positive. The antibody prevalence rate of migrating population in 2008-2010 was 2.0%, 1.4%, and 1.7%, respectively, with no significant difference (chi2 = 3.57, P > 0.05). Among the serologically positive subjects, egg-positive cases were found in migrating population in Juchao District each year and one case was found in Jinhu County in 2010. Oncomelania snails were only found in in Jinhu and Gaoyou without infected ones. A lot of aquatic shell-fish and snails were collected in the water floater and straw curtain without Oncomelania snails. CONCLUSION: Schistosomiasis is not endemic in the original nonendemic areas in Three Gorges Dam region and areas passed by South-to-North Water Diversion Project until now, but potential risk of transmission exists. Long term surveillance scheme on schistosomiasis should be established with varied monitoring factors in different category areas.

The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the hawkmoth, Dahira obliquifascia (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) and phylogenetic analysis.

In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the complete mitogenome Dahira obliquifascia to compare mitogenomic structures and reconstruct phylogenetic relationships. The complete mitogenome sequence of D. obliquifascia is circular, 15,939 bp in size and encodes 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 ribosomal RNA genes (rRNA), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNA) and a control region (CR). Nucleotide composition is highly biased toward A + T nucleotides (80.3%). All 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs) initiate with the standard start codon of ATN and terminate with the typical stop codon TAA/TAG. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using 13 protein coding genes (PCGs) showed that D. obliquifascia is closely related to Theretra oldenlandiae.

Phylogenetic relationship and characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Smerinthus planus (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae).

In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of Smerinthus planus Walker, 1856 was sequenced and analyzed. This mitochondrial genome is circular, 15,375 bp long, and includes 37 typical metazoan mitochondrial genes (13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNA genes) and an A + T-rich region. Nucleotide composition is highly biased toward A + T nucleotides (80.1%). All 13 PCGs initiate with the standard start codon of ATN and terminate with the typical stop codon TAA/TAG. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using amino acids of 13 PCGs which shows that S. planus is closely related to Barbourion lemaii.

The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the hawkmoth, Ambulyx tobii (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) and phylogenetic analysis.

In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome of Ambulyx tobii to compare mitochondrial genome structures and reconstruct phylogenetic relationships. The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of A. tobii is circular, 15,343 bp in size and encodes 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), and a control region (CR). Nucleotide composition is highly biased toward A + T nucleotides (81.2%). Most PCGs initiate with the standard start codon of ATN and terminate with the typical stop codon TAA/TAG. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using both 13 PCGs and whole mitochondrial genomes showed that A. tobii is closely related to A. substrigilis.

The first complete mitochondrial genome of the hawkmoth Marumba saishiuana (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) and insights into its phylogenetic position.

In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the complete mitogenome of Marumba saishiuana Okamoto, 1924. The complete mitogenome sequence of M. saishiuana is circular, 15,662 bp in size and encodes 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), and a control region (CR). Nucleotide composition is highly biased toward A + T nucleotides (81.2%). Most of 13 PCGs initiate with the standard start codon of ATN, except cox1, which starts with CGA. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using nucleotide sequences. A total of 32 Smerinthinae species were selected. The topology based on mitogenome showed that M. saishiuana, M. gaschkewitschii, and M. sperchius formed a clade, and this indicated that M. saishiuana was a member of genus Marumba. Polyptychus trilineatus was the most closely related to genus Marumba on the phylogenetic tree reconstructed by mitogenomes.

Next-generation sequencing yields the complete mitochondrial genome of Rhodoprasina callantha (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) and its evolutionary status.

In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome of Rhodoprasina callantha Jordan, 1929. The complete mitochondrial genome sequence of R. callantha was 15,343 bp in size and encoded 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNA), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNA) and one control region (CR). The nucleotide composition of mitogenome was highly biased to A and T. Most protein-coding genes (PCGs) initiate with the standard start codon of ATN and terminate with the typical stop codon TAA/TAG. The phylogeny of Sphingidae based on nucleotide sequences of PCGs recovered the monophyly of subfamilies of Sphingidae with high support values. Langinae was the first subfamily diverged in Sphingidae, which was in accordance with previous study. R. callantha was the member of subfamily Smerinthinae, and closely related to the genus Marumba.

Novel gene rearrangement pattern in mitochondrial genome of Ooencyrtusplautus Huang & Noyes, 1994: new gene order in Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea).

Studies of mitochondrial genomes have a wide range of applications in phylogeny, population genetics, and evolutionary biology. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the mitochondrial genome of Ooencyrtusplautus Huang & Noyes, 1994 (Hymenoptera, Encyrtidae). The nearly complete mitogenome of O.plautus was 15,730 bp in size, including 13 PCGs (protein-coding genes), 22 tRNAs, 2 rRNAs, and a nearly complete control region. The nucleotide composition was significantly biased toward adenine and thymine, with an A + T content of 84.6%. We used the reference sequence of Chouioiacunea and calculated the Ka/Ks ratio for each set of PCGs. The highest value of the Ka/Ks ratio within 13 PCGs was found in nad2 with 1.1, suggesting that they were subjected to positive selection. This phenomenon was first discovered in Encyrtidae. Compared with other encyrtid mitogenomes, a translocation of trnW was found in O.plautus, which was the first of its kind to be reported in Encyrtidae. Comparing with ancestral arrangement pattern, wasps reflect extensive gene rearrangements. Although these insects have a high frequency of gene rearrangement, species from the same family and genus tend to have similar gene sequences. As the number of sequenced mitochondrial genomes in Chalcidoidea increases, we summarize some of the rules of gene rearrangement in Chalcidoidea, that is four gene clusters with frequent gene rearrangements. Ten mitogenomes were included to reconstruct the phylogenetic trees of Encyrtidae based on both 13 PCGs (nucleotides of protein coding genes) and AA matrix (amino acids of protein coding genes) using the maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. The phylogenetic tree reconstructed by Bayesian inference based on AA data set showed that Aenasiusarizonensis and Metaphycuseriococci formed a clade representing Tetracneminae. The remaining six species formed a monophyletic clade representing Encyrtinae. In Encyrtinae, Encyrtus forms a monophyletic clade as a sister group to the clade formed by O.plautus and Diaphorencyrtusaligarhensis. Encyrtussasakii and Encyrtusrhodooccisiae were most closely related species in this monophyletic clade. In addition, gene rearrangements can provide a valuable information for molecular phylogenetic reconstruction. These results enhance our understanding of phylogenetic relationships among Encyrtidae.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Kentrochrysalis streckeri (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) and phylogenetic analysis.

In this study, we sequenced the complete mitogenome of Kentrochrysalis streckeri (Staudinger, 1880). The complete mitogenome sequence of K. streckeri is circular, 15,253 bp in size and contains 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and a control region (CR). Nucleotide composition was A + T biased, and all the PCGs exhibited a positive AT-skew, which was reflected in the nucleotide composition, codon, and amino acid usage. Most PCGs start with ATG or ATT and stop with TAA. However, COX1 gene starts with CGA and three genes (COX1, COX2, NAD5) use the incomplete stop codon T. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the relationship (K. streckeri+((Manduca sexta+Sphinx morio)+(Psilogramma increta+(Psilogramma menephron+Notonagemia analis scribae)))).