Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal colonization of Glycyrrhiza glabra roots enhances plant biomass,phosphorus uptake and concentration of root secondary metabolites

Arbuscular mycorrhizal （AM） fungi penetrate the cortical cells of the roots of vascular plants, and are widely distributed in soil. The formation of these symbiotic bodies accelerates the absorption and utilization of min- eral elements, enhances plant resistance to stress, boosts the growth of plants, and increases the survival rate of transplanted seedlings. We studied the effects of various arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi on the growth and devel- opment of licorice （Glycyrrhiza glabra）. Several species of AM, such as Glomus mosseae, Glomus intraradices, and a mixture of fungi （G. mosseae, G intraradices, G. cladoideum, G microagregatum, G caledonium and G. etunica- tum） were used in our study. Licorice growth rates were determined by measuring the colonization rate of the plants by the fungi, plant dry biomass, phosphorus concentration and concentration of secondary metabolites. We estab- lished two cloned strains of licorice, clone 3 （C3） and clone 6 （C6） to exclude the effect of genotypic variations. Our results showed that the AM fungi could in fact increase the leaf and root biomass, as well as the phosphorus con- centration in each clone. Furthermore, AM fungi significantly increased the yield of certain secondary metabolites in clone 3. Our study clearly demonstrated that AM fungi play an important role in the enhancement of growth and development of licorice plants. There was also a significant improvement in the secondary metabolite content and yield of medicinal compounds from the roots.

Reproductive toxicity of organic extracts from petrochemical plant effluents discharged to the Yangtze River,China

Water pollution of the Yangtze River in China became one of challenges that the government is facing today. Increasing numbers of petrochemical plants were built along the river in past decades, and numbers of organic chemicals were discharged into the river. Our goal was to establish in vitro system on rat sertoli cells, spermatogenic cells and leydig cells to investigate the reproductive toxicity potential induced by organic extracts from petrochemical effluents. Our results showed that the organic extract depressed the viability （p 〈 0.01） and destroyed the plasma membrane integrity of sertoli cells and spermatogenic cells to a certain degree. Accordingly, proportion of early apoptotic sertoli cells and late apoptotic spermatogenic cells increased significantly. Although significant morphological changes were not detected for leydig cells, the extract was observed to inhibit their testosterone production （p 〈 0.01）. Sertoli cells and sperrnatogenic cells appeared to be more sensitive and maybe the main targets of the key toxins. These results suggested that the in vitro system on rat testicular cells may be useful to predicate reproductive toxicity potential of organic extracts from petrochemical effluents. More attention should be paid to the petrochemical effluents, because long-term accumulation of these organic compounds in organisms may cause spermatogenesis malfunction and testosterone reduction.

Wnt5a Plays Controversial Roles in Cancer Progression

WntSa is a representative Wnt ligand that regulates multiple cellular functions through the Wnt5a nonclassical pathway.Although Wnt5a has been implicated in various pathological conditions,its role in cancer is ambiguous and might involve methyl modifications,distinct mRNA isofbrms,as well as different downstream pathways.Therefore,it is an essential factor in cancers'progression(invasion,migration,proliferation,and epithelial-mesenchymal transition),and a potential biomarker for prognosis and treatment.

Transcriptome and metabolome analysis reveal that oral secretions from Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera litura influence wound-induced host response in cotton

Cotton(Gossypium hirsutum)is an important fiber crop worldwide.Insect attack causes cotton yield and quality losses.However,little is known about the mechanism of cotton response to insect attack.We simulated insect feeding by applying insect oral secretions(OS)to wounds,and combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis to investigate how OS from two major pest species(Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera litura)affect cotton defense responses.We found that respectively 12,668 and 13,379 genes were differentially expressed in comparison with wounding alone.On addition of OS,the jasmonic acid signaling pathway was rapidly and strongly induced,whereas genes involved in salicylic acid biosynthesis were downregulated.On constructing a coexpression gene network,we identified a hub gene encoding a leucine-rich repeat receptor kinase that may play an important role in early signal recognition and transduction.OS from the two insect species altered the abundance of flavonoid-related compounds in different patterns.Gossypol remained in lower concentration after OS application than after wounding alone,suggesting a suppressive effect of OS on cotton defense response.This study illustrated transcriptional and metabolic changes of cotton in responding to OS from two chewing insect species,identified potential key response genes,and revealed evidence for OS inhibition of wounding-induced cotton defense response.

Self-induced Secretion Expression of Trehalose Synthase in Bacillus subtilis WB800n

Bacillus subtilis is a non-pathogenic Gram-positive bacterium that has been widely used to produce industrially and pharmaceutically relevant proteins. Trehalose, a non reducing disaccharide used as protective agent and additive in foodstuffs and pharmaceutical products, can be prepared by trehalose synthase(TreS). The present work aims to construct a robust recombinant B. subtilis to achieve the secretory expression of TreS. In this study, the treS gene from Pseudomonas putida ATCC47054 was amplified by PCR and further cloned and expressed in B. subtilis WB800 N using pHT01 as expression vector. For avoiding the use of inducer, promoter P_(srfA) was used to replace the promoter P_(grac) in pHT01 and verify the activity of recombinant trehalose synthase. The TreS activity assay was employed to evaluate the performance of recombinant B. subtilis W800 N under different phosphate concentrations, carbon sources, carbon source concentrations, nitrogen sources and pH. The results showed that the P_(srfA) promoter had a good regulation effect under pH 8.0 condition, and the enzyme activity reached 6 000 U/L. Using the PhoD as the secretory signal peptide, TreS was effectively secreted, and the extracellular enzyme activity reached 2 100 U/L, accounting for 35% of the total enzyme activity. By optimizing the medium and fermentation conditions, the extracellular enzyme activity reached 6 900 U/L in 5 L of fermentor, and the proportion reached 48%. The pHT01-P_(srfA)-PhoD-treS secretory recombinant B. subtilis constructed in this study has great potential in trehalose synthase production.

Dual Role of Wnt5a in the Progression of Inflammatory Diseases

Wnt5a is a secreted Wnt ligand that plays a critical role in cellular pathways and inflammatory diseases.The WNT5A gene encodes two protein isoforms,Wnt5a-long and Wnt5a-short,which differ based on different promoter methylation and have distinct functions.However,the mechanisms of the promoter methylation are unclear.Depending on the extent of promoter methylation,Wnt5a exerts both anti-inflammatory and proinflammatory effects in inflammatory diseases,which may be involved in different Wnt5a isoforms.Therefore,the Wnt5a isoforms may be potential diagnostic markers for inflammatory diseases and the mechanisms of the WNT5A gene promoter methylation need to be further investigated.

Progress in Enzymatic Production of Trehalose

Trehalose is a non-reducing disaccharide, and widespread in nature. It is a typical stress metabolite that can protect macromolecules such as proteins in organisms under extreme conditions. Therefore, trehalose has been widely used in food, medicine and cosmetics. Trehalose is extracted from yeast or synthesized by chemical method. Due to the high cost of traditional methods, trehalose is mainly produced by enzymatic methods. There are mainly three pathways: TPS/TPP, TreY/TreZ and TreS. These enzymatic systems are expressed mainly through heterologous expression.

Probabilistic ecological risk assessment for three chlorophenols in surface waters of China

Individual and combined assessment of risks of adverse effects to aquatic ecosystems of three chlorophenols（CPs）,including 2,4dichlorophenol（2,4-DCP）,2,4,6-trichlorophenol（2,4,6-TCP） and pentachlorophenol（PCP）,were conducted.A probabilistic approach based on the concentrations of CPs in surface waters of China was used to determine the likelihood of adverse effects.The potential risk of CPs in surface waters of China was determined to be of concern,especially PCP and mixtures of CPs.The risks of adverse effects were examined as the joint probabilities of exposure and response.The joint probability for PCP was 0.271 in the worst case and 0.111 in the median case,respectively.Based on the cumulative probability,5% of aquatic organisms included in the assessment would be affected 21.36% of the time in the worst case and 5.99% of the time in median case,respectively.For the mixtures of CPs,the joint probability were 0.171 in the worst case and 0.503 in median case,respectively and 5% of species would be affected 49.83% of the time for the worst case and 12.72% in the median case,respectively.Risks of effects of the individual CPs,2,4-DCP and 2,4,6-TCP were deemed to be acceptable with a overlapping probability of 0.1 with 5% of species being affected less than 4% of the time.

LF精炼废渣水热浸出过程中主要矿相的溶解行为

通过水热浸出实验分别研究了精炼废渣及合成的废渣中2种主要单一矿相12CaO·7Al2O3和2CaO·SiO2的溶解行为,并将二者进行对比分析,探究了LF精炼废渣在水热浸出过程中的溶解行为。结果表明,废渣浸出过程中浸出液的pH>12,且随浸出时间增加,电导率和Ca浓度增加,Al浓度急剧下降,Si浓度低于0.1 mg/L且保持不变;12CaO·7Al2O3浸出过程中,随时间增加,浸出液pH值稳定在约11.3,浸出液中Al浓度增加,Ca浓度略微下降。2CaO·SiO2浸出液中主要为Ca^2+,Si浓度低于0.6mg/L;废渣与单一矿相浸出过程的pH值及Al,Si浓度较接近,可以通过单一矿相的溶解行为研究精炼废渣在水热浸出过程中的溶解行为,但废渣浸出液的Al和Si浓度均低于单一矿相,表明废渣中CaO等其它组分溶解抑制了12CaO·7Al2O3和2CaO·SiO2溶解。

MAFLD was more easily diagnosed than NAFLD in liver transplant recipients with abnormal liver function

Background and aims:Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)is hepatic steatosis that is require the exclusion of certain etiologies,including drug usage or alcoholic consumption.Conversely,metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD)needs not to.In this study,we aimed to examine whether MAFLD is more easily diagnosed than NAFLD in liver transplant(LT)recipients with abnormal liver function.Methods:In this cross-sectional study,LT recipients with abnormal liver function were investigated for the prevalence of MAFLD and NAFLD.Results:We recruited 57 LT recipients with abnormal liver function at a referral hospital.Among these patients,the prevalence of MAFLD and NAFLD was 37.8%and 11.1%,respectively.17 patients showed hepatic steatosis,with an average NAFLD activity score of 3.5 and a fibrosis score of 1.0.Compared with non-MAFLD patients,MAFLD patients had a significant difference in fasting blood glucose levels(p?0.009).Among 17 MAFLD patients,12 were overweight and four were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus.The majority of MAFLD diagnoses were based on body mass index(70.6%)and diabetes mellitus history(23.5%),biomarkers that are easily obtained.At 6,12,24,and 36 months after LT,MAFLD patients had higher levels of fasting blood glucose(6 months:p?0.004,12 months:p?0.038)and higher trend of body mass index value and plasma triglyceride level but no significance.Conclusions:MAFLD was more easily diagnosed in LT recipients with abnormal liver function and higher in prevalence than NAFLD.A larger sample size research is required to validate these conclusions.