Developing high-efficiency base editors by combining optimized synergistic core components with new types of nuclear localization signal peptide

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)–CRISPR-associated protein(Cas) system has been widely used for genome editing. In this system, the cytosine base editor(CBE) and adenine base editor(ABE) allow generating precise and irreversible base mutations in a programmable manner and have been used in many different types of cells and organisms. However, their applications are limited by low editing efficiency at certain genomic target sites or at specific target cytosine(C) or adenine(A) residues. Using a strategy of combining optimized synergistic core components, we developed a new multiplex super-assembled ABE(sABE) in rice that showed higher base-editing efficiency than previously developed ABEs. We also designed a new type of nuclear localization signal(NLS) comprising a FLAG epitope tag with four copies of a codon-optimized NLS(F4NLS^(r2)) to generate another ABE named F4NLS-sABE. This new NLS increased editing efficiency or edited additional A at several target sites. A new multiplex super-assembled CBE(sCBE) and F4NLS^(r2) involved F4NLS-sCBE were also created using the same strategy. F4NLS-sCBE was proven to be much more efficient than sCBE in rice. These optimized base editors will serve as powerful genome-editing tools for basic research or molecular breeding in rice and will provide a reference for the development of superior editing tools for other plants or animals.

ON RIESZ TYPE KERNELS OVER LOCAL FIELDS

Based on a representation lemma. Riesz type kernels on the local field K and on the integer ring O in K are coitstructed. Furthermore, we discuss approximation theorems for the Lipschitz class Lip(L ;α) ana the Lp boundedness of such operators motivated by the open problem: Does σηfa,s→f for f ∈L1(O) (see M. H. Taible-son [6] and [5])?

An Annotated List of Lizards(Sauria: Squamata) Recorded from the People's Republic of China

From the perspectives of biodiversity conservation and management, there is an urgent need to have at hand current synopses of classification and distributions of species. In this paper, we review and summa rize the classifica tions, Chinese a nd English names, type specimens, type localities and distributions of China’s lizard fauna to promote scientific exchange and species conservation among relevant people in China and internationally. As of December 31, 2020, a total of 230species of lizard, belonging to 44 genera and 12 families,have been recorded from China, including 4 invasive species: 2 in the family Gekkonidae, 1 in Iguanidae and one in Dactyloidae. There are 115 endemic species, accounting for 50% of this group. The proportion of endemic species to China was the highest in the family Eublepharidae(84.62%), and the number of endemic species to China was the highest in the family Agamidae(42 species). The species distributions and classifica tion in the “Fa una Sinica(Reptilia 2): Squamata(Lacertilia)” were updated.Among the provincial administrative units, there is a larger number of species in the southern provinces, such as Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi and Taiwan. Sichuan, Yunnan, and Taiwan harbour relatively more endemic species than others. A total of 154 species of lizards were first discovered in China, and the type localities of these species are concentrated in Yunnan, Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang, and Sichuan.

Scarabaeinae(Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) from Hong Kong

Scarabaeinae is a globally distributed coprophagous coleopteran group with southeast Asia and Africa as the key areas of distribution. Located in the southern part of China, Hong Kong has subtropical climate and diverse habitats supporting a high diversity of scarabaeines. This paper gives a detailed review on Scarabaeinae from Hong Kong, including the new records to Hong Kong, photographic records of type specimens from Hong Kong, and identification keys to genera and species. A total of 13 genera and 51 species of scarabaeines were recorded in Hong Kong. Among them, 14 species were new records to Hong Kong found in the authors＇ recent surveys, viz. Caccobius（Caccophilus） brevis Waterhouse, 1875, Copris（s. str.） punctatus Gillet, 1910, C.（s. str.） szechouanicus Balthasar, 1958, Microcopris propinquus Felsche, 1910, Onitis excavatus Arrow, 1931, Oni. intermedius Frivaldszky, 1892, Oni. subopacus Arrow, 1931, Onthophagus brutus Arrow, 1931, Ont. tricolor Boucomont, 1914, Ont.（Matashia） lenzi Harold, 1874, Ont.（s. str.） roubali Balthasar, 1935, Ont.（Parascatonomus） horni Balthasar, 1935, Scarabaeus（Kheper） erichsoni Harold, 1867 and Sisyphus（s. str.） indicus Hope, 1831. Onthophagus（Paraphanaeomorphus） trituber jacobsoni Kabakov, 2006 was found to be a new synonym of the nominate subspecies. Catharsius davidis Deyrolle ＆ Fairmaire, 1878 and Copris davidis（Deyrolle ＆ Fairmaire, 1878） were found to be the new synonyms of Catharsius molossus（Linnaeus, 1758）. Hong Kong was also the only locality where Liatongus pugionatus and Onthophagus convexicollis were recorded over the world.

Harnack Differential Inequalities for the Parabolic Equation u_t= LF(u) on Riemannian Manifolds and Applications

In this paper, let(M~n, g) be an n-dimensional complete Riemannian manifold with the mdimensional Bakry–mery Ricci curvature bounded below. By using the maximum principle, we first prove a Li–Yau type Harnack differential inequality for positive solutions to the parabolic equation u= LF(u)=ΔF(u)-f·F(u),on compact Riemannian manifolds Mn, where F∈C~2(0, ∞), F>0 and f is a C~2-smooth function defined on M~n. As application, the Harnack differential inequalities for fast diffusion type equation and porous media type equation are derived. On the other hand, we derive a local Hamilton type gradient estimate for positive solutions of the degenerate parabolic equation on complete Riemannian manifolds. As application, related local Hamilton type gradient estimate and Harnack inequality for fast dfiffusion type equation are established. Our results generalize some known results.