Chromosome-level assembly of triploid genome of Sichuan pepper(Zanthoxylum armatum)

As an important spice species in Rutaceae, the Sichuan pepper (Zanthoxylum armatum) can provide pungent and numbing taste, as well as aroma in its mature fruit. Here we assembled a chromosome-level genome of green prickly ash which was widely cultivated in a major production area including Chongqing and Sichuan province, China. We generated 712 Gb (~112×) PacBio long reads and 511 Gb (~82×) Hi-C data, and yielded an assembly of 99 pseudochromosomes with total size of 5.32 Gb and contig N50 of 796 kb. The genomic analyses and cytogenetic experiments both indicated that the cultivarZhuye Huajiao’ was a triploid. We identified a Zanthoxylum-specific whole genome duplication event emerging about 24.8 million years ago (Mya). We also detected a transposition burst event (0.3-0.4 Mya) responsible for the large genome size of Z. armatum. Metabolomic analysis of the Zanthoxylum fruits during development stages revealed profiles of39 volatile aroma compounds and 528 secondary metabolites, from which six types of sanshools were identified. Based on metabolomic and transcriptomic network analysis, we screened candidate genes encoding long chain acyl-CoA synthetase, fatty acid desaturase,branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase involved in sanshool biosynthesis and three genes encoding terpene synthase during fruit development. The multi-omics data provide insights into the evolution of Zanthoxylum and molecular basis of numbing and aroma flavor of Sichuan pepper.

基于衍生展示模型的协同工作方法

在基于3DE平台的船舶设计流程中,各专业之间协同工作仍存在一些问题,特别是由于船舶结构原生模型比较复杂,数据量大,调取耗时长,并容易引起系统崩溃,是结构专业与其它专业的协同工作的一个重大障碍。为解决这一问题,有针对性地对3DE平台模型轻量化进行研究,对3DE平台衍生展示模型这一轻量化模型的特性与协同设计的需要进行对比分析,综合其包括数据更新在内的各项特性,探索出一种基于衍生展示模型协同工作方法,解决了模型调取存在的问题,提高了设计人员的工作效率。

Jianpijiedu Fang improves survival of hepatocarcinoma mice by affecting phosphatase and tensin homolog, phosphoinositide 3-kinase, and focal adhesion kinase

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Jianpijiedu Fang (JPJDF) on phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), and focal adhesion kinase (FAK), and on the survival of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) nude mice. METHODS: Forty male nude mice were randomly divided into 4 groups. Human HCC tissue was implanted in the livers of three groups. After 24 h, the three groups were treated respectively with JPJDF (37.5 g/kg), saline (20 mL/kg) and Tegafur (FT-207, 160 mg/kg) once a day for 10 weeks. The control group without implanting the tissue was concurrently treated with saline (20 mL/kg). The survival data and body weight of all mice were recorded, and expression levels of PTEN, PI3K and FAK in normal tissue and cancer tissue of the livers were eval-uated with immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: The cumulative survival rate of the mice in the JPJDF group was higher than those of the other groups. The rate of weight loss was the lowest in JPJDF group. The survivability and weight loss rate in FT-207 group were the poorest in all groups. The expression intensity of PTEN was higher in normal tissues than in cancer tissues, and lower in the normal tissues of HCC models than in that of mice without HCC. The PTEN expression intensity in normal tissue and cancer tissue from mice treated with FT-207 were lower than that from the mice treated with JPJDF or saline.The expression intensity of PI3K was higher in cancer tissue than in normal tissue. The PI3K expression intensity was the lowest in normal tissue and cancer tissue from mice treated with JPJDF, and the intensity from mice treated with FT-207 was the highest. In mice treated with JPJDF, the expression intensity of FAK was higher in the normal tissue and lower in the cancer tissue than those of the other treatment groups. CONCLUSION: The mechanism accounting for the prolonged survival of HCC-bearing mice treated with JPJDF might be related to the reduction in weight loss and the benign regulation of PTEN, PI3K, and FAK.

Effect of polypeptide 2B1 on condition of dampness pattern in rats in terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine

OBJECTIVE： This study investigated how polypeptide 2B1 is involved in regulating and governing dampness in rat models with dampness pattern defined in terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine. METHODS： We randomly divided 48 SPF 10-week-old male Sprague-Dawley （SD） rats into a normal group, normal ＋ Aristolochic acid I （AA-I） for 5 min group, normal ＋ AA-I for 60 min group, dampness pattern group （DS-Group）, dampness pattern ＋ AA-I for 5 rain tern ＋ AA-I for 60 min group, and dampness pat- group. Groups were then treated accordingly. We took out the lung, stom- ach, liver, spleen, kidney, large intestine, and small intestine tissues to detect gene and protein expres- sion of organic anion transporter polypeptide 2B1 （OATP2B1）. RESULTS= Gene expression of OATP2B1 in spleen, kidney, and small intestine of rats with dampness pattern was lower than that in normal rats （P〈0.05）. The gene expressions of OATP2B1 in liver, stomach, large intestine, and small intestine were lower than that in control rats at different time points after being stimulated by AA-I （P〈0.05）. CONCLUSION There is coordination among multiple viscera in handling the condition of dampness, and the mechanism underlying the action may rely on regulating the expression of OATP2B1.

Correlation between pathogenesis of dampness syndrome and Interleukin-2,Interleukin-8 in rats

OBJECTIVE： To explore the pathogenesis of dampness syndrome by detecting the changes of inter- leukin-2 （IL-2） and interleukin-8 （IL-8） levels. METHODS： Female Sprague Dawley rats were divided randomly into five groups according to the random number table： a normal group （Group Ⅰ ）, an external dampness group （Group Ⅱ ）, an internal dampness group （Group Ⅲ）, and an external and internal dampness group （Group Ⅳ）. Twenty days after the model made, IL-2 and IL-8 levels were detected by radioimmunoassay method. RESULTS： The IL-2 and IL-8 levels among groups were significant （F=3.102, P〈0.05; F=2.657, P〈0.05, respectively）. The level of IL-2 in Group Ⅱ and Group Ⅲ were higher than that in Group Ⅰ （P〈0.05, P〈0.01, respectively）, especially higher in the Group Ⅲ compared with Group Ⅱ （P〈0.05）. The level of IL-8 in Group Ⅲ were higher than those in Group Ⅰ, Group Ⅱ and GroupⅣ （P〈0.05, P〈0.01, P〈 0.05, respectively）. In the Group Ⅲ, the 24-hour water and body weight were higher than that in the Group Ⅱ （all P〈0.05）, and spontaneous movement frequency was higher than those in Group Ⅱ and GroupⅣ （P〈0.05）. CONCLUSION： Immune activation and inflammatory reaction might be easily caused by external danpness other than internal dampness.