RNA sequencing of exosomes secreted by fibroblast and Schwann cells elucidates mechanisms underlying peripheral nerve regeneration

Exosomes exhibit complex biological functions and mediate a variety of biological processes,such as promoting axonal regeneration and functional recove ry after injury.Long non-coding RNAs(IncRNAs)have been reported to play a crucial role in axonal regeneration.Howeve r,the role of the IncRNA-microRNAmessenger RNA(mRNA)-competitive endogenous RNA(ceRNA)network in exosome-mediated axonal regeneration remains unclear.In this study,we performed RNA transcriptome sequencing analysis to assess mRNA expression patterns in exosomes produced by cultured fibroblasts(FC-EXOs)and Schwann cells(SCEXOs).Diffe rential gene expression analysis,Gene Ontology analysis,Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis,and protein-protein intera ction network analysis were used to explo re the functions and related pathways of RNAs isolated from FC-EXOs and SC-EXOs.We found that the ribosome-related central gene Rps5 was enriched in FC-EXOs and SC-EXOs,which suggests that it may promote axonal regeneration.In addition,using the miRWalk and Starbase prediction databases,we constructed a regulatory network of ceRNAs targeting Rps5,including 27 microRNAs and five IncRNAs.The ceRNA regulatory network,which included Ftx and Miat,revealed that exsosome-derived Rps5 inhibits scar formation and promotes axonal regeneration and functional recovery after nerve injury.Our findings suggest that exosomes derived from fibro blast and Schwann cells could be used to treat injuries of peripheral nervous system.

Residue Return Effects Outweigh Tillage Effects on Soil Microbial Communities and Functional Genes in Black Soil Region of Northeast China

Conservation tillage as an effective alternative to mitigate soil degradation has attracted worldwide attention,but the influences of conservation tillage on soil microbial community and especially function remain unclear.Shotgun metagenomics sequencing was performed to examine the taxonomic and functional community variations of black soils under three tillage regimes,namely no-tillage with residue(maize straw)return(NTS),moldboard plow with residue return(MPS),and moldboard plow without residue return(MPN)in Northeast China.The results revealed:1)Soil bacterial and archaeal communities differed significantly under different tillage regimes in contrast to soil fungal community.2)The overlay of less tillage and residues return under NTS led to unique soil microbial community composition and functional composition.Specifically,in contrast to other treatments,NTS increased the relative abundances of some taxa such as Bradyrhizobium,Candidatus Solibacter,and Reyranella,along with the relative abundances of some taxa such as Sphingomonas,Unclassified Chloroflexi and Nitrososphaera decreased;NTS had a unique advantage of increasing the relative abundances of genes involved in‘ATP-binding cassette(ABC)transporters’and‘quorum sensing(QS)’pathways,while MPN favored the genes involved in‘flagellar assembly’pathway and some metabolic pathways such as‘carbon’and‘glyoxylate and dicarboxylate’and‘selenocompound’metabolisms.3)Significantly different soil bacterial phyla(Acidobacteria,Gemmatimonadetes,and Chloroflexi)and metabolic pathways existed between MPN and another two treatments(NTS and MPS),while did not exist between NTS and MPS.4)Dissolved organic carbon(DOC)and soil bulk density were significantly affected(P<0.05)by tillage and accounted for the variance both in microbial(bacterial)community structure and functional composition.These results indicated that a change in tillage regime from conventional to conservation tillage results in a shift of microbial community and functional genes,and we inferred that residue return played a more prominent role than less tillage in functional shifts in the microbial community of black soils.

Transcriptomic and bioinformatics analysis of the mechanism by which erythropoietin promotes recovery from traumatic brain injury in mice

Recent studies have found that erythropoietin promotes the recovery of neurological function after traumatic brain injury.However,the precise mechanism of action remains unclea r.In this study,we induced moderate traumatic brain injury in mice by intrape ritoneal injection of erythro poietin for 3 consecutive days.RNA sequencing detected a total of 4065 differentially expressed RNAs,including 1059 mRNAs,92 microRNAs,799 long non-coding RNAs,and 2115circular RNAs.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes and Gene Ontology analyses revealed that the coding and non-coding RNAs that were differentially expressed after traumatic brain injury and treatment with erythropoietin play roles in the axon guidance pathway,Wnt pathway,and MAPK pathway.Constructing competing endogenous RNA networks showed that regulatory relationship between the differentially expressed non-coding RNAs and mRNAs.Because the axon guidance pathway was repeatedly enriched,the expression of Wnt5a and Ephb6,key factors in the axonal guidance pathway,was assessed.Ephb6 expression decreased and Wnt5a expression increased after traumatic brain injury,and these effects were reversed by treatment with erythro poietin.These findings suggest that erythro poietin can promote recove ry of nerve function after traumatic brain injury through the axon guidance pathway.

Hub genes and key pathways of traumatic brain injury: bioinformatics analysis and in vivo validation

The exact mechanisms associated with secondary brain damage following traumatic brain injury(TBI)remain unclear;therefore,identifying the critical molecular mechanisms involved in TBI is essential.The m RNA expression microarray GSE2871 was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)repository.GSE2871 comprises a total of 31 cerebral cortex samples,including two post-TBI time points.The microarray features eight control and seven TBI samples,from 4 hours post-TBI,and eight control and eight TBI samples from 24 hours post-TBI.In this bioinformatics-based study,109 and 66 differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were identified in a Sprague-Dawley(SD)rat TBI model,4 and 24 hours post-TBI,respectively.Functional enrichment analysis showed that the identified DEGs were significantly enriched in several terms,such as positive regulation of nuclear factor-κB transcription factor activity,mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway,negative regulation of apoptotic process,and tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway.Moreover,the hub genes with high connectivity degrees were primarily related to inflammatory mediators.To validate the top five hub genes,a rat model of TBI was established using the weight-drop method,and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis of the cerebral cortex was performed.The results showed that compared with control rats,Tnf-α,c-Myc,Spp1,Cxcl10,Ptprc,Egf,Mmp9,and Lcn2 were upregulated,and Fn1 was downregulated in TBI rats.Among these hub genes,Fn1,c-Myc,and Ptprc may represent novel biomarkers or therapeutic targets for TBI.These identified pathways and key genes may provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of TBI and provide potential treatment targets for patients with TBI.This study was approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University,China(approval No.003)in January 2016.

Spatiotemporal microRNA profile in peripheral nerve regeneration:miR-138 targets vimentin and inhibits Schwann cell migration and proliferation

While the peripheral nervous system has regenerative ability,restoration of sufficient function remains a challenge.Vimentin has been shown to be localized in axonal growth fronts and associated with nerve regeneration,including myelination,neuroplasticity,kinase signaling in nerve axoplasm,and cell migration;however,the mechanisms regulating its expression within Schwann cell（SC） remain unexplored.The aim of this study was to profile the spatial and temporal expression profile of micro RNA（mi RNA） in a regenerating rat sciatic nerve after transection,and explore the potential role of mi R-138-5 p targeting vimentin in SC proliferation and migration.A rat sciatic nerve transection model,utilizing a polyethylene nerve guide,was used to investigate mi RNA expression at 7,14,30,60,and 90 days during nerve regeneration.Relative levels of mi RNA expression were determined using microarray analysis and subsequently validated with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.In vitro assays were conducted with cultured Schwann cells transfected with mi RNA mimics and assessed for migratory and proliferative potential.The top seven dysregulated mi RNAs reported in this study have been implicated in cell migration elsewhere,and GO and KEGG analyses predicted activities essential to wound healing.Transfection of one of these,mi RNA-138-5 p,into SCs reduced cell migration and proliferation.mi R-138-5 p has been shown to directly target vimentin in cancer cells,and the luciferase assay performed here in rat Schwann cells confirmed it.These results detail a role of mi R-138-5 p in rat peripheral nerve regeneration and expand on reports of it as an important regulator in the peripheral nervous system.

Gene and protein expression profiles of olfactory ensheathing cells from olfactory bulb versus olfactory mucosa

Olfactory ensheathing cells(OECs) from the olfactory bulb(OB) and the olfactory mucosa(OM) have the capacity to repair nerve injury. However, the difference in the therapeutic effect between OB-derived OECs and OM-derived OECs remains unclear. In this study, we extracted OECs from OB and OM and compared the gene and protein expression profiles of the cells using transcriptomics and non-quantitative proteomics techniques. The results revealed that both OB-derived OECs and OM-derived OECs highly expressed genes and proteins that regulate cell growth, proliferation, apoptosis and vascular endothelial cell regeneration. The differentially expressed genes and proteins of OB-derived OECs play a key role in regulation of nerve regeneration and axon regeneration and extension, transmission of nerve impulses and response to axon injury. The differentially expressed genes and proteins of OM-derived OECs mainly participate in the positive regulation of inflammatory response, defense response, cytokine binding, cell migration and wound healing. These findings suggest that differentially expressed genes and proteins may explain why OB-derived OECs and OM-derived OECs exhibit different therapeutic roles. This study was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University(approval No. 2017-073) on February 13, 2017.

Expressions of genes related to genome stability and DNA repair in nasopharyngeal carcinoma clustering families

Objective： The aim of the study was to observe the expressions of genes related to genome stability and DNA repair in the members of nasopharyngeal carcinoma （NPC） clustedng families. Methods： In the Zhongshan City where there is highly incidence rate of NPC, we chose the members of the NPC clustering families as objects, and the patients of nasopharyngitis and NPC as the control group. We isolated the RNA from the nasopharyngeal tissue, and synthesized its cRNA, the genome stability and DNA repair genes chip technique, chemiluminescent detection and real-time fluorescence quantita- tive technique were used to examine the genome stability and DNA repair genes in the nasopharyngeal tissue. Results： More genome stability and DNA repair genes were up-regulated in the members of the NPC clustering families than the NPC patients, and the range of up-regulated was high, with the over up-regulated 100 times genes including TEP1, MSH4, PMS2LI. Fewer genome stability and DNA repair genes were down-regulated in the members of the NPC clustering families than the NPC patients, the ubiquitin genes almost were down-regulated, the results also could be confirmed by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. Conclusion： There are specially expression character of genome stability and DNA repair genes in the members of NPC clustering families.

Bioinformatics analysis of ferroptosis in spinal cord injury

Ferroptosis plays a key role in aggravating the progression of spinal cord injury(SCI),but the specific mechanism remains unknown.In this study,we constructed a rat model of T10 SCI using a modified Allen method.We identified 48,44,and 27 ferroptosis genes that were differentially expressed at 1,3,and 7 days after SCI induction.Compared with the sham group and other SCI subgroups,the subgroup at 1 day after SCI showed increased expression of the ferroptosis marker acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 and the oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde in the injured spinal cord while glutathione in the injured spinal cord was lower.These findings with our bioinformatics results suggested that 1 day after SCI was the important period of ferroptosis progression.Bioinformatics analysis identified the following top ten hub ferroptosis genes in the subgroup at 1 day after SCI:STAT3,JUN,TLR4,ATF3,HMOX1,MAPK1,MAPK9,PTGS2,VEGFA,and RELA.Real-time polymerase chain reaction on rat spinal cord tissue confirmed that STAT3,JUN,TLR4,ATF3,HMOX1,PTGS2,and RELA mRNA levels were up-regulated and VEGFA,MAPK1 and MAPK9 mRNA levels were down-regulated.Ten potential compounds were predicted using the DSigDB database as potential drugs or molecules targeting ferroptosis to repair SCI.We also constructed a ferroptosis-related mRNA-miRNA-lncRNA network in SCI that included 66 lncRNAs,10 miRNAs,and 12 genes.Our results help further the understanding of the mechanism underlying ferroptosis in SCI.

Differentially expressed whey proteins of donkey and bovine colostrum revealed with a label-free proteomics approach

This study aimed to analyze and compare the differentially expressed whey proteins(DEWPs)of donkey and bovine colostrum using high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry-based proteomics.A total of 620 and 696 whey proteins were characterized in the donkey and bovine colostrum,respectively,including 383 common whey proteins.Among these common proteins,80 were identified as DEWPs,including 21 upregulated and 59 downregulated DEWPs in donkey colostrum compared to bovine colostrum.Gene Ontology analysis revealed that these DEWPs were mainly related to cellular components,such as extracellular exosome,plasma membrane,and mitochondrion;biological processes,such as oxidation-reduction process,cell-cell adhesion,and small guanosine triphosphate(GTP)ase-mediated signal transduction;and molecular functions,such as GTP binding,GTPase activity,and soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor(NSF)attachment protein receptor activity.Metabolic pathway analysis suggested that the majority of the DEWPs were associated with soluble NSF factor attachment protein receptor interactions in vesicular transport,fatty acid biosynthesis,and estrogen signaling pathways.Our results provide a vital insight into the differences between donkey and bovine colostrum,along with important information on the significant components as nutritional and functional factors to be included in infant formula based on multiple milk sources.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of lnc RNA cancer susceptibility candidate 9 in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is a common malignant gastrointestinal tumor.There are currently few clinical diagnostic and prognostic markers for HCC.LncRNA cancer susceptibility candidate 9(CASC9)is a long-chain non-coding RNA discovered in recent years,and previous studies have found that lncRNA CASC9 participates in the occurrence and development of HCC,but its clinical value remains unclear.AIM To determine the expression of lncRNA CASC9 in HCC and its diagnostic and prognostic value.METHODS Data on CASC9 expression in patients with HCC were collected from the Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database to analyze the relationship between CASC9 and patient survival.A total of 80 HCC patients treated in The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from May 2012 to January 2014 were enrolled in the patient group,and 50 healthy subjects were enrolled in the control group during the same period.CASC9 expression in the two groups was determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction,and its diagnostic and prognostic value was analyzed based on the CASC9 data and pathological data in these HCC patients.The relationship between CASC9 and patient survival was assessed during the 5-year follow-up period.RESULTS Analysis of data from TCGA database revealed that control samples showed significantly lower CASC9 expression than carcinoma tissue samples(P<0.001);the low CASC9 expression group had a higher survival rate than the high CASC9 expression group(P=0.011),and the patient group showed significantly increased expression of serum CASC9,with the area under the curve(AUC)of 0.933.CASC9 expression was related to tumor size,combined hepatitis,tumor,node,metastasis(TNM)staging,lymph node metastasis,differentiation and alpha fetoprotein,and the high CASC9 expression group showed lower 1-year,3-year and 5-year survival rates than the low CASC9 expression group(all aP<0.05).Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that TNM staging,lymph node metastasis,differentiation,alpha fetoprotein and CASC9 were independent factors affecting the prognosis of patients.Stage I+II patients with lymph node metastasis,low differentiation,and alpha fetoprotein>200 ng/mL had a poor 5-year survival rate.CONCLUSION High CASC9 expression is beneficial in the prognosis of HCC patients.CASC9 is expected to be a potential diagnostic and prognostic indicator of HCC.

Graft-accelerated virus-induced gene silencing facilitates functional genomics in rose flowers

Rose has emerged as a model ornamental plant for studies of flower development, senescence, and morphology, as well as the metabolism of floral fragrances and colors.Virus-induced gene silencing(VIGS) has long been used in functional genomics studies of rose by vacuum infiltration of cuttings or seedlings with an Agrobacterium suspension carrying TRV-derived vectors. However, VIGS in rose flowers remains a challenge because of its low efficiency and long time to establish silencing. Here we present a novel and rapid VIGS method that can be used to analyze gene function in rose,called ‘graft-accelerated VIGS’, where axil ary sprouts are cut from the rose plant and vacuum infiltrated with Agrobacterium. The inoculated scions are then grafted back onto the plants to flower and silencing phenotypes can be observed within 5 weeks, post-infiltration. Using this new method, we successfully silenced expression of the RhDFR, RhA G, and RhNUDXin rose flowers, and affected their color, petal number, as well as fragrance, respectively. This grafting method will facilitate high-throughput functional analysis of genes in rose flowers. Importantly, it may also be applied to other woody species that are not currently amenable to VIGS by conventional leaf or plantlet/seedling infiltration methods.

Bioinformatics analysis of metastasis-related proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM: To analyze the metastasis-related proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and discover the biomarker candidates for diagnosis and therapeutic intervention of HCC metastasis with bioinformatics tools. METHODS: Metastasis-related proteins were determined by stable isotope labeling and MS analysis and analyzed with bioinformatics resources, including Phobius, Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG), online mendelian inheritance in man (OMIM) and human protein reference database (HPRD). RESULTS: All the metastasis-related proteins were linked to 83 pathways in KEGG, including MAPK and p53 signal pathways. Protein-protein interaction network showed that all the metastasis-related proteins were categorized into 19 function groups, including cell cycle, apoptosis and signal transduction. OMIM analysis linked these proteins to 186 OMIM entries. CONCLUSION: Metastasis-related proteins provide HCC cells with biological advantages in cell proliferation,migration and angiogenesis, and facilitate metastasis of HCC cells. The bird's eye view can reveal a global characteristic of metastasis-related proteins and many differentially expressed proteins can be identified as candidates for diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

Association of TCR-signaling pathway with the development of lacrimal gland benign lymphoepithelial lesions

·AIM: To identify the association of the T cell receptor(TCR) signaling with the development of benign lymphoepithelial lesions(BLEL) of the lacrimal gland.· METHODS: We collected affected lacrimal gland tissues from 9 patients who underwent dacryoadenectomy in the Capital Medical University Beijing Tongren Hospital Eye Center between August2010 and March 2013 and were confirmed to have lacrimal gland BLEL by histopathological analysis. Tumor tissues from 9 patients with orbital cavernous hemangioma were also collected and used as control.Whole genome gene expression microarray was used to compare gene expression profiles of affected lacrimal gland tissues from patients with lacrimal gland BLEL to those from of orbital cavernous hemangiomas.Differential expression of TCR pathway genes between these tissues was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and immunohistochemistry.·RESULTS: Microarray analysis showed that in lacrimal glands with BLEL, 32 signaling pathways were enriched in the upregulated genes, while 25 signaling pathways were enriched in the downregulated genes. In-depth analysis of the microarray data showed that the expression of 27 genes of the TCR signaling pathway increased significantly. To verify the differential expression of three of these genes, CD3, CD4, and interleukin(IL)-10, reverse transcription-PCR(RT-PCR)and immunohistochemistry assays were performed. RT-PCR analysis showed that CD3 and CD4 were expressed in the lacrimal glands with BLEL, but IL-10 was not expressed. Immunohistochemistry confirmed that CD3 and CD4 proteins were also present, but IL-10 protein was not. CD3, CD4, or IL-10 expression was not found in the orbital cavernous hemangiomas with either RT-PCR or immunohistochemistry.· CONCLUSION: TCR signaling pathway might be involved in the pathogenesis of lacrimal gland BLEL.

Expression and regulatory network of long noncoding RNA in rats after spinal cord hemisection injury

Long noncoding RNAs(lncRNAs)participate in a variety of biological processes and diseases.However,the expression and function of lncRNAs after spinal cord injury has not been extensively analyzed.In this study of right side hemisection of the spinal cord at T10,we detected the expression of lncRNAs in the proximal tissue of T10 lamina at different time points and found 445 lncRNAs and 6522 mRNA were differentially expressed.We divided the differentially expressed lncRNAs into 26 expression trends and analyzed Profile 25 and Profile 2,the two expression trends with the most significant difference.Our results showed that the expression of 68 lncRNAs in Profile 25 rose first and remained high 3 days post-injury.There were 387 mRNAs co-expressed with the 68 lncRNAs in Profile 25.The co-expression network showed that the co-expressed genes were mainly enriched in cell division,inflammatory response,FcγR-mediated cell phagocytosis signaling pathway,cell cycle and apoptosis.The expression of 56 lncRNAs in Profile2 first declined and remained low after 3 days post-injury.There were 387 mRNAs co-expressed with the 56 lncRNAs in Profile 2.The co-expression network showed that the co-expressed genes were mainly enriched in the chemical synaptic transmission process and in the signaling pathway of neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction.The results provided the expression and regulatory network of the main lncRNAs after spinal cord injury and clarified their co-expressed gene enriched biological processes and signaling pathways.These findings provide a new direction for the clinical treatment of spinal cord injury.

Bioinformatic analysis of cytokine expression in the proximal and distal nerve stumps after peripheral nerve injury

In our previous study,we investigated the dynamic expression of cytokines in the distal nerve stumps after peripheral nerve injury using microarray analysis,which can characterize the dynamic expression of proteins.In the present study,we used a rat model of right sciatic nerve transection to examine changes in the expression of cytokines at 1,7,14 and 28 days after injury using protein microarray analysis.Interleukins were increased in the distal nerve stumps at 1–14 days post nerve transection.However,growth factors and growth factor-related proteins were mainly upregulated in the proximal nerve stumps.The P-values of the inflammatory response,apoptotic response and cell-cell adhesion in the distal stumps were higher than those in the proximal nerve stumps,but the opposite was observed for angiogenesis.The number of cytokines related to axons in the distal stumps was greater than that in the proximal stumps,while the percentage of cytokines related to axons in the distal stumps was lower than that in the proximal nerve stumps.Visualization of the results revealed the specific expression patterns and differences in cytokines in and between the proximal and distal nerve stumps.Our findings offer potential therapeutic targets and should help advance the development of clinical treatments for peripheral nerve injury.Approval for animal use in this study was obtained from the Animal Ethics Committee of the Chinese PLA General Hospital on September 7,2016(approval No.2016-x9-07).

Global Profiles of Acetylated Proteins in Brains of Scrapie Agents 139A- and ME7-Infected Mice Collected at Mid-Early, Mid-Late, and Terminal Stages

Objective To describe the global profiles of acetylated proteins in the brains of scrapie agents 139Aand ME7-infected mice collected at mid-early,mid-late,and terminal stages.Methods The acetylated proteins from the cortex regions of scrapie agent(139A-and ME7)-infected mice collected at mid-early(80 days postinfection,dpi),mid-late(120 dpi),and terminal(180 dpi) stages were extracted,and the global profiles of brain acetylated proteins were assayed with proteomic mass spectrometry.The proteins in the infected mice showing 1.5-fold higher or lower levels than that of agematched normal controls were considered as differentially expressed acetylated peptides(DEAPs).Results A total of 118,42,and 51 DEAPs were found in the brains of 139A-80,139A-120,and 139A-180dpi mice,respectively.Meanwhile,390,227,and 75 DEAPs were detected in the brains of ME7-80,ME7-120,and ME7-180 dpi mice,respectively.The overwhelming majority of DEAPs in the mid-early stage were down-regulated,and more portions of DEAPs in the mid-late and late stages were up-regulated.Approximately 22.1%(328/1,485) of acetylated peptides mapped to 74 different proteins were mitochondrial associated.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis identified 39(80dpi),13(120 dpi),and 10(180 dpi) significantly changed pathways in 139A-infected mice.Meanwhile,55,25,and 18 significantly changed pathways were observed in the 80,120,and 180 dpi samples of139A-and ME7-infected mice(P < 0.05),respectively.Six pathways were commonly involved in all tested samples.Moreover,many steps in the citrate cycle(tricarboxylic acid cycle) were affected,represented by down-regulated acetylation for relevant enzymes in the mid-early stage and upregulated acetylation in the mid-late and late stages.Conclusion Our data here illustrated the changes in the global profiles for brain acetylated proteins during prion infection,showing remarkably inhibited acetylation in the early stage and relatively enhanced acetylation in the late stage.

On microbial community of Pyropia haitanensis by metagenomic analysis

Microorganisms plays an important role in the growth of Pyropia haitanensis.To understand the structural and functional diversity of the microorganism community of P.haitanensis(PH40),the associated metabolic pathway network in cluster of orthologous groups(COG)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG),and carbohydrate-active enzymes(CAZymes)were explored in metagenomic analysis.DNA extraction from gametophytes of P.haitanensis was performed first,followed by library construction,sequencing,preprocessing of sequencing data,taxonomy assignment,gene prediction,and functional annotation.The results show that the predominant microorganisms of P.haitanensis were bacteria(98.98%),and the phylum with the highest abundance was Proteobacteria(54.64%),followed by Bacteroidetes(37.92%).Erythrobacter(3.98%)and Hyunsoonleella jejuensis(1.56%)were the genera and species with the highest abundance of bacteria,respectively.The COG annotation demonstrated that genes associated with microbial metabolism was the predominant category.The results of metabolic pathway annotation show that the ABC transport system and two-component system were the main pathways in the microbial community.Plant growth hormone biosynthesis pathway and multi-vitamin biosynthesis functional units(modules)were the other important pathways.The CAZyme annotation revealed that the starch might be an important carbon source for microorganisms.Glycosyl transferase family 2(GT2)and glycosyl transferase family 3(GT3)were the highly abundant families in glucoside transferase superfamily.Six metagenome-assembled genomes containing enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of cobalamin(vitamin B 12)and indole-3-acetic acid were obtained by binning method.They were confirmed to belong to Rhodobacterales and Rhizobiales,respectively.Our findings provide comprehensive insights into the microorganism community of Pyropia.

Gene Regulatory Networks in the Genomics Era

The precise regulation of gene expression is critical to the nor- mal development and biological function of all organisms. Dysregulation of gene expression during early development can result in a spectrum of failures ranging from minor defects to the termination of development. In adult life, dysregulation can lead to the uncontrolled cell proliferation of cancer or pro- grammed cell death leading to neurodegenerative diseases. The regulation of gene expression is controlled by multiple systems with more being discovered. The immediate regulators are transcription factors which bind to specific sequences in the promoter or enhancer regions of individual genes. The activity of transcription factors can be regulated by the presence of other transcription factors and cofactors, methylation status of the promoter or enhancer region,

Hox and ParaHox Genes in Evolution,Development and Genomics

The discovery of the homeobox motif and its presence in each gene of the Hox clusters revolutionized the fields of developmental biology and evolutionary developmental biology （1, 2）, providing a rapid entrance into investigating the mechanisms of development of almost any animal taxon as well as dramatically altering conceptions on the extent of genetic conservation across the animal kingdom.

Using network pharmacology and molecular docking to explore the mechanism of action of Huajiao against colon cancer

Background:The mechanism of Huajiao(Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim.),as a commonly used herbal medicine,has been suggested as a potential agent for colon cancer.This study aims to use network pharmacology and molecular docking to identify the bioactive constituents of Huajiao and the underlying mechanisms of cancer prevention.Methods:Putative components of Huajiao and their relevant targets were identified from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systematic Pharmacology and Swiss target prediction database.Subsequently,targets interacting with colon cancer were collected using the databases of GeneCards,OMIM and Drugbank.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway and Gene Ontology enrichment analyses were performed to explore the therapeutic signalling pathways related to Huajiao for carcinoma.P rotein-protein interaction and compound-target networks were constructed using Cytoscape 3.8.2.Finally,Discovery studio software was accustomed to identifying key genes and active components of Huajiao.Results:Seventeen potentially active compounds,197 interacting targets and 1,636 disease-related targets were collected,of which 111 cross-targets were obtained.A complete of twenty-two key targets were identified by PPI network analysis,including AKT1,TP53,TNF,JUN,IL6 and HSP90AA1.These key targets are significantly involved in biological processes and pathways,such as those involved in phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signalling,promoting maturation,structural maintenance and proper regulation of specific target proteins,and regulating tumor cell growth arrest and apoptosis.KEGG enrichment showed that three signalling pathways were closely related to the cancer prevention,endocrine resistance and viral hepatitis pathways in carcinoma.AKT1,TP53,TNF,JUN,IL6 and HSP90AA1 were identified as the most vital genes and were validated by molecular docking simulations.Conclusion:The present study demonstrates that Huajiao produces preventive effects against colon cancer by modulating multiple components of multiple targets and pathways.Moreover,these data provide new insights into developing Huajiao compounds as new anti-colon cancer drugs.