Amino acid deletions at positions 893 and 894 of cytotoxinassociated gene A protein affect Helicobacter pylori gastric epithelial cell interactions

BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)persistently colonizes the human gastric mucosa in more than 50%of the global population,leading to various gastroduodenal diseases ranging from chronic gastritis to gastric carcinoma.Cytotoxin-associated gene A(CagA)protein,an important oncoprotein,has highly polymorphic Glu-Pro-Ile-Tyr-Ala segments at the carboxyl terminus,which play crucial roles in pathogenesis.Our previous study revealed a significant association between amino acid deletions at positions 893 and 894 and gastric cancer.AIM To investigate the impact of amino acid deletions at positions 893 and 894 on CagA function.METHODS We selected a representative HZT strain from a gastric cancer patient with amino acid deletions at positions 893 and 894.The cagA gene was amplified and mutated into cagA-NT and cagA-NE(sequence characteristics of strains from nongastric cancer patients),cloned and inserted into pAdtrack-CMV,and then transfected into AGS cells.The expression of cagA and its mutants was examined using realtime polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting,cell elongation via cell counting,F-actin cytoskeleton visualization using fluorescence staining,and interleukin-8(IL-8)secretion via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.RESULTS The results revealed that pAdtrack/cagA induced a more pronounced hummingbird phenotype than pAdtrack/cagA-NT and pAdtrack/cagA-NE(40.88±3.10 vs 32.50±3.17,P<0.001 and 40.88±3.10 vs 32.17±3.00,P<0.001)at 12 hours after transfection.At 24 hours,pAdtrack/cagA-NE induced significantly fewer hummingbird phenotypes than pAdtrack/cagA and pAdtrack/cagA-NT(46.02±2.12 vs 53.90±2.10,P<0.001 and 46.02±2.12 vs 51.15±3.74,P<0.001).The total amount of F-actin caused by pAdtrack/cagA was significantly lower than that caused by pAdtrack/cagA-NT and pAdtrack/cagA-NE(27.54±17.37 vs 41.51±11.90,P<0.001 and 27.54±17.37 vs 41.39±14.22,P<0.001)at 12 hours after transfection.Additionally,pAdtrack/cagA induced higher IL-8 secretion than pAdtrack/cagA-NT and pAdtrack/cagA-NE at different times after transfection.CONCLUSION Amino acid deletions at positions 893 and 894 enhance CagA pathogenicity,which is crucial for revealing the pathogenic mechanism of CagA and identifying biomarkers of highly pathogenic H.pylori.

油桐尺蛾核型多角体病毒lef-8基因结构及系统进化分析

lef-8基因作为杆状病毒重要的早期表达基因,编码病毒RNA聚合酶的最大亚基。本文通过对油桐尺蛾核型多角体病毒lef-8基因进行测序,对其基因结构及其在杆状病毒中的系统进化进行了分析。发现lef-8基因在油桐尺蛾核型多角体病毒中编码区长2 634 bp,编码877个氨基酸。在5’-UTR区具有可能为其启动子及转录起始位点的信号序列,在3’-UTR区具有加尾信号序列,但这些序列的具体功能还有待进一步研究。其蛋白序列与常见的模式NPV同源性较低,但具有共同的签名序列。通过对杆状病毒lef-8基因的系统进化分析,发现颗粒体病毒和核型多角体病毒明显分为两支,而核型多角体病毒中又明显分为4个分支,其进化关系在很大程度上与其寄主的进化关系相关。

Structure of the Bovine ACAD8 Gene and the Association of Its Polymorphism with the Production Traits

Acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenases （ACAD） are a family of nuclear-coded, mitochondrial flavoenzymes that catalyze the alpha, and beta-dehydrogenation of fatty acids. The eighth member of this family, ACAD8 catalyzes the valine catabolism. In this study, the bovine ACAD8 full-length mRNA and genomic DNA sequence were obtained and its gene structure was determined through alignment of the genomic DNA sequence to the mRNA sequence. The mRNA sequence consisted of a 1,251 bp open reading frame （ORF） flanked by a 37 bp 5＇-untranslated region （UTR） and a 444 bp 3＇-UTR; and its full-length genomic DNA sequence was 13,814 bp in length and included 11 exons and 10 introns. One A-G single nucleotide polymorphism （SNP） was revealed at nucleotide 13,408 （GenBank accession No. DQ435445） in the bovine ACAD8 gene by sequencing the polymerase chain reaction （PCR） products of 6 randomly selected individuals from the sample population. Different genotypes were determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism （RFLP）. The association analysis of this SNP in bovine ACAD8 with production traits in 178 unrelated steers from 5 breeds showed that it had a significant effect on the daily gain and the beef tenderness （P〈0.05）. Cattle with the G allele grew more rapidly and the beef they produced was more tender than those with the A allele. Thus, this SNP of the bovine ACAD8 gene can be used as an indicator to improve the growth rate and the beef tenderness.

家蚕核型多角体病毒lef-8基因克隆及系统进化分析

【目的】了解云南省德宏州陇川县蚕区家蚕核型多角体病毒(BmNPV)株系的遗传地位和多样性,为厘清云南蚕区BmNPV的起源及科学防控家蚕血液型脓病提供参考依据。【方法】对分离自云南省德宏州陇川县蚕区的BmNPV进行lef-8基因克隆,通过ExPASy、SignalP 5.0、TMHMM 2.0、NetOGlyc 4.0、NetPhos 2.0及SWISS-MODEL等在线软件进行生物信息学分析,并基于lef-8基因核苷酸序列相似性,采用MEGA7.0中的邻接法(NJ)构建系统发育进化树。【结果】云南省德宏州陇川县蚕区BmNPV-YNLC株的lef-8基因序列全长2631 bp,共编码876个氨基酸残基;其编码蛋白(LEF-8)无信号肽序列,也不存在跨膜结构域,蛋白分子量为101.63 kD,理论等电点(pI)为8.8;在第750~800位氨基酸残基区域具有较高的疏水性,部分氨基酸位点表现为亲水性,且具有较高抗原指数和表面可及性;存在6个潜在的N-糖基化位点,62个磷酸化位点(25个丝氨酸磷酸化位点,23个苏氨酸酸化位点,14个酪氨酸磷酸化位点),但不存在O-糖基化位点。BmNPV-YNLC株与BmNPV-T3株的lef-8基因核苷酸序列相似性为99.7%,BmNPV-YNLC株lef-8基因在第96~98位核苷酸序列上存在3个碱基(CAA)缺失;此外,还存在2个非同义突变(^(646)T→A和^(1895)C→G)和7个同义突变。基于lef-8基因核苷酸序列相似性构建的系统发育进化树显示,BmNPV-YNLC株与日本和韩国地区的BmNPV亲缘关系较近,而与我国流行的BmNPV遗传关系较远。【结论】lef-8基因在不同地区来源的BmNPV株系中高度保守,BmNPV-YNLC株与日本和韩国地区的BmNPV亲缘关系较近,但其LEF-8蛋白N端存在氨基酸缺失突变,说明BmNPVYNLC株为云南蚕区的新流行株系。

乳腺癌患者病理特征与Bcl-2、CXCL13、PAX8表达情况的关系分析

目的分析乳腺癌患者病理特征与B细胞淋巴瘤/白血病-2基因(Bcl-2)、趋化因子配体13(CXCL13)、配对盒基因8抗体(PAX8)表达情况的关系。方法收集2021年1月至2023年1月该院收治的160例乳腺癌患者临床资料。采用免疫组化法对其癌组织与癌旁组织Bcl-2、CXCL13、PAX8表达情况进行检测,并分析3项指标与患者病理特征的关系。结果与癌旁组织比较,癌组织Bcl-2、CXCL13、PAX8阳性率更高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。与雌激素受体(ER)阴性、肿瘤最大径≥3 cm、孕激素受体(PR)阴性患者比较,ER阳性、肿瘤最大径<3 cm、PR阳性患者中Bcl-2高表达占比更高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);与无淋巴结转移、Ⅰ~Ⅱ期患者比较,淋巴结转移、Ⅲ~Ⅳ期患者中CXCL13高表达占比更高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);与Ⅰ~Ⅱ期、高/中分化、无淋巴结转移患者比较,Ⅲ~Ⅳ期、低分化、有淋巴结转移患者中PAX8高表达占比更高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。ER、PR表达情况与Bcl-2表达情况呈正相关(P<0.05),肿瘤最大径与Bcl-2表达情况呈负相关(P<0.05);临床分期、淋巴结转移情况与CXCL13、PAX8表达情况呈正相关(P<0.05);分化程度与PAX8表达情况呈负相关(P<0.05)。结论乳腺癌患者Bcl-2、CXCL13、PAX8表达情况对疾病的发生和发展具有明显影响,有望成为评估乳腺癌患者病情严重程度的标志物。

LncRNA MEG8通过靶向miR-15a-5p调控MICA/B介导结直肠癌细胞免疫逃逸

目的:探究长链非编码RNA母系表达基因8(LncRNA MEG8)通过靶向miR-15a-5p调控MHCⅠ类相关蛋白A/B(MICA/B)介导的结直肠癌(CRC)细胞免疫逃逸机制。方法:RT-qPCR、Western blot检测CRC组织和细胞系MEG8、miR-15a-5p、MICA、MICB、NKG2D蛋白水平;双荧光素酶实验验证MEG8对miR-15a-5p的调控关系;采用脂质体转染法将NC、MEG8、miR-NC、miR-15a-5p分别或共转染至SW480、SW620细胞,记为NC组、MEG8组、MEG8+miR-NC组、MEG8+miR-15a-5p组;将NK细胞分别与SW480、SW620细胞共培养;ELISA检测共培养液中TNF-α、IFN-γ水平;CCK-8、EdU染色、Transwell实验检测细胞增殖、迁移和侵袭能力;RT-qPCR、Western blot检测细胞MEG8、miR-15a-5p、MICA、MICB、NKG2D蛋白水平。结果:与癌旁组织或正常结肠上皮细胞相比,CRC组织和细胞系中MEG8、MICA、MICB、NKG2D mRNA和蛋白水平降低,miR-15a-5p水平升高(P<0.05)。MEG8靶向调控miR-15a-5p。共培养体系中,与NC组相比,MEG8组细胞MICA、MICB、NKG2D蛋白水平、共培养上清液中TNF-α、IFN-γ水平明显升高,培养1 d、2 d、3 d后,OD值、EdU阳性率、迁移和侵袭细胞数明显降低(P<0.05);过表达miR-15a-5p能部分逆转过表达MEG8对细胞MICA、MICB、NKG2D、TNF-α、IFN-γ水平和增殖、侵袭转移能力的影响(P<0.05)。结论:MEG8通过靶向miR-15a-5p调控MICA、MICB表达,促进NK细胞活性,抑制CRC细胞免疫逃逸。

脑小血管病患者血清小核仁RNA宿主基因8水平与疾病进展及认知功能障碍的相关性研究

目的 探讨脑小血管病(CSVD)患者血清小核仁RNA宿主基因8(SNHG8)表达水平变化与疾病进展及认知功能障碍(CI)的相关性。方法 选取2021年5月至2023年5月在承德医学院附属医院进行诊治的100例CSVD患者为研究对象,根据患者脑动脉指数(PI),将CSVD患者分为轻度组(n=31)、中度组(n=45)和重度组(n=24);另根据蒙特利尔评估量表(MoCA)评分,将CSVD患者分为CI组(n=51)和非CI组(n=49);同时,选取同期在我院体检的健康人群100例为对照组。实时荧光定量PCR法测定血清SNHG8水平;比较对照组、CI组与非CI组一般资料及血清SNHG8水平;比较不同病情程度CSVD患者血清SNHG8水平;Spearman相关性分析血清SNHG8水平与病情程度、MoCA评分之间的关系;受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线分析血清SNHG8水平对CSVD患者并发CI的诊断价值;Logistic回归分析CSVD患者并发CI的影响因素。结果 对照组、CI组与非CI组在性别、年龄、基础病史、TC、TG、HDL-C、LDL-C上差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),在受教育程度、IL-33及IL-18水平上差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);不同病情程度CSVD患者血清SNHG8水平差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),且随CSVD疾病进展,血清SNHG8水平逐渐降低;Spearman相关性分析结果显示,血清SNHG8水平与病情程度呈负相关(r=-0.561,P<0.05),与MoCA评分呈正相关(r=0.583,P<0.05);ROC曲线结果显示,血清SNHG8诊断CSVD患者并发CI的AUC为0.860,敏感度为86.3%,特异度为72.0%;多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示,受教育程度、血清IL-18、IL-33、SNHG8均是CSVD患者发生CI的影响因素。结论 随着CSVD患者病情进展,血清SNHG8水平逐渐降低,且血清SNHG8水平与CSVD患者并发CI密切相关。

缺血性脑卒中患者lncRNA MEG8表达水平与神经功能缺损程度的相关性

目的:研究血清长链非编码RNA母系表达基因8(lncRNA MEG8)表达与缺血性脑卒中患者神经功能缺损程度的相关性。方法:将本院收治的135例缺血性脑卒中患者作为缺血性脑卒中组,并根据NIHSS评分将其细分为轻度缺损组、中度缺损组、重度缺损组;另选取于本院体检的脑神经功能正常的128例体检者为对照组。收集各组基线资料,采用实时荧光定量PCR(qRT-PCR)法检测血清lncRNA MEG8表达水平;缺血性脑卒中患者不同时间点血清lncRNA MEG8表达水平与基线资料及神经功能缺损程度相关性采用Spearman及Pearson分析;采用Logistic回归进行缺血性脑卒中患者神经功能缺损程度的影响因素分析。结果:缺血性脑卒中组入院第2 d、入院第7 d、入院第14 d血清lncRNA MEG8表达水平均高于对照组(P<0.05)。入院第14 d血清lncRNA MEG8表达水平低于入院第2 d、入院第7 d(P<0.05)。重度缺损组血清lncRNA MEG8表达水平高于中度缺损组和轻度缺损组(P<0.05),中度缺损组血清lncRNA MEG8表达水平高于轻度缺损组(P<0.05)。缺血性脑卒中患者血清lncRNA MEG8表达水平与神经功能缺损程度、高血压、颈动脉粥样硬化、糖尿病、收缩压、TC、LDL-C、Hs-CRP均呈正相关(P<0.05),与HDL-C呈负相关(P<0.05)。lncRNA MEG8、颈动脉粥样硬化是缺血性脑卒中患者发展为中/重度神经功能缺损的独立危险因素(P<0.05)。结论:血清lncRNA MEG8表达水平与缺血性脑卒中患者神经功能缺损程度呈正相关。

Cloning of TaCYP707A1 Gene that Encodes ABA 8′-Hydroxylase in Common Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

The plant hormone abscisic acid （ABA） regulates many important physiological and developmental processes in plants. The objective of this study was to clone the ABA 8′-hydroxylase gene in common wheat. In the present study, we used the eDNA sequence of barley HvCYP707A1 gene （GenBank accession no. AB239299） as a probe for BLAST search against the common wheat （Triticum aestivum L.） EST database in GenBank. All wheat ESTs sharing high similarity with the reference gene were subjected to contig assembly. Primers were designed based on the constructed contigs to clone the wheat CYP707A1 gene, designated as TaCYP707A1. The genomic DNA sequence of TaCYPTO7A1 gene comprised five exons and four introns, with a size of 2225 bp. The corresponding cDNA sequence of TaCYP707A1 was 1737 bp, containing an open reading frame （ORF） of 1431 bp, a 42-bp 5′-untranslated region （UTR） and a 264-bp 3′UTR, with 94.9% of identical sequences to HvCYP707A1 gene （AB239299）. The neighbor joining tree indicated that the deduced amino acid sequences of TaCYP707A1 gene was highly similar to those of barley and rice. The TaCYP707A1 gene was located on chromosome 6BL using a set of Chinese Spring nullisomic-tetrasomic lines and ditelosomic line 6BS. These results will be of high importance in understanding of molecular mechanism of ABA catabolism.

The Effects of Dwarfing Genes (Rht-B1b, Rht-D1b, and Rht8) with Different Sensitivity to GA_3 on the Coleoptile Length and Plant Height of Wheat

Understanding the effects of wheat dwarfing genes on the coleoptile length and plant height is crucial for the proper utilization of dwarfing genes in the improvement of wheat yield. Molecular marker analysis combined with pedigree information were used to classify wheat cultivars widely planted in major wheat growing regions in China into different categories based on the dwarfing genes they carried. The effects of the dwarfing genes with different sensitivity to gibberellins （GA3） on the coleoptile length and plant height were analyzed. Screening of 129 cultivars by molecular marker analysis revealed that 58 genotypes of wheat contained the dwarfing gene Rht-B1b, 24 genotypes of wheat contained Rht-D1b gene and 73 genotypes of wheat possessed Rht8 gene. In addition, among these 129 cultivars, 35 genotypes of wheat cultivars contained both Rht-B1b and Rht8 genes and 16 genotypes of wheat cultivars contained both Rht-D1b and Rht8 genes. Wheat cultivars with the dwarfing genes Rht-B1b or Rht-D1b were insensitive to GA3, while the cultivars with the dwarfing gene Rht8 were sensitive to GA3. Most of the wheat genotypes containing combination of Rht8 gene with either Rht-B1b or Rht-D1b gene were insensitive to GA3. The plant height was reduced by 24.6, 30.4, 28.2, and 32.2%, respectively, for the wheat cultivars containing Rht-B1b, Rht-D1b, Rht-B1b ＋ Rht8, and Rht-D1b ＋ Rht8 genes. The plant height was reduced by 14.3% for the wheat cultivar containing GA3-sensitive gene Rht8. The coleoptile length was shortened by 25.4, 31.3, 28.4 and 31.3%, respectively, in the wheat cultivars containing Rht-B1b, Rht-D1b, Rht-B1b ＋Rht8 and Rht-D1b ＋ Rht8 genes, while the coleoptile length was shortened only by 6.2% for the wheat cultivar containing Rht8 gene. We conclude that GA3-insensitive dwarfing genes （Rht-B1b and Rht-D1b） are not suitable for the wheat improvement in dryland because these two genes have effect on reducing both plant height and coleoptile length. In contrast, GA3- sensitive dwarfing gene （Rht8） is a relatively ideal candidate for the wheat improvement since it significantly reduces the plant height of wheat, but has less effect on the coleoptile length.

A Panel of Genes Identified as Targets for 8q24.13-24.3 Gain Contributing to Unfavorable Overall Survival in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Copy number aberrations （CNAs） in chromosome arm 8q have been associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes of several cancers and progressive tumor characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC）. This study was to identify correlation of CNAs in 8q with clinical outcomes of HCC patients, and further screen for differentially expressed genes in outcome-related CNAs. Array comparative genomic hybridization and expression arrays were performed to detect CNAs and expression levels, respectively. The correlations between CNAs in 8q and outcomes were analyzed in 66 patients, with a median follow-up time of 45.0 months （range, 2.6-108.6 months）. One hundred and nine cases were further evaluated to identify differentially expressed genes in the potential outcome-related CNAs. Copy number gain in 8q was observed in 22 （33.3%） of the 66 HCC cases. The most recurrent gains （with frequencies 〉20%） were 8q 13.3-21.3, 8q21.3-23.3, 8q23.3-24.13, 8q24.13-24.3, and 8q24.3. Survival analysis showed that 8q24.13-24.3 gain was significantly associated with reduced overall survival （P=0.010）. Multivariate Cox analysis identified 8q24.13- 24.3 gain as an independent prognostic factor for poor overall survival （HR=2.47; 95% CI=1.16-5.26; P=0.019）. A panel of 17 genes within the 8q24.13-24.3 region, including ATAD2, SQLE, PVT1, ASAP1, and NDRG1 were significantly upregulated in HCCs with 8q24.13-24.3 gain compared to those without. These results suggest that copy number gain at 8q24.13-24.3 is an unfavorable prognostic marker for HCC patients, and the potential oncogenes ATAD2, SQLE, PVT1, ASAP1, and NDRG1 within the regional gain, may contribute coordinately to the 8q24.13-24.3 gain-related poor prognosis.

Cloning and Expression of a Chitinase Gene from Serratia marcescens Strain C8-8

A 1 692 bp long chitinase-encoding ch/A gene was cloned from the genomic DNA of Serrat/a marcescens strain C8-8 by PCR, which was speculated to en- code a 563 aa long polypeptide chain with molecular weight of about 60.9 kD. Homolog analysis showed that the chiA gene sequence cloned from C8-8 shared the highest similarity with cMA sequences from Serrat/a maresscens strains 141 （ DQ 990373.1 ） and 14041 （ DQ 493896. 1 ）, which reached 99%. Domain analysis showed that N-termlnal （23 aa） of the chiA gene cloned from C8-8 harbored typical signal peptide sequence, while C-telminal harbored the other two domains, in- eluding the PKD region （73 aa） and chitinase catalytic region （387 aa）. The PCR fragment was digested with restriction endonucleases and cloned into plasmid pET28a. The recombinant plasmid pET＇28a-ch/A was firstly transformed into Escherichia coli DI-I5 , and then transformed into expression host E. coli DH3 to express ch/A gene. The recombinant strain DH3 chiA could produce transparent hydrolysis circles on the colloidal chitin plate induced by isopropyl-l-thiogalactopyranoside （IFrG）. SDS-PAGE electrophoresis analysis showed that, a protein with relative molecular weight of about 60 kD was expressed by the recombinant strain DH3 chiA, which was consistent with the except molecular weight. After initial purification, biological activity test showed that the recombinant expression product could hydrolyze chitin, which produced transparent hydrolysis circles on the colloidal chitin plates. Results indicated that chiA gene from Serrat/a marcescens strain C8-8 had biological functions and could be utilized as a potential biological control factor.

Interleukin-8 gene polymorphism is associated with acute coronary syndrome in a Han Chinese population

Background Acute coronary syndrome(ACS) is one of the most common forms of heart diseases.Recent studies have revealed that interleukin(IL)-8 plays a kev role in the development of atherosclerosis plaque and its complications, but the relationship of its common variants with ACS has not been extensively studied.Methods We tested the hypothesis that variants in IL-8-251 A/T was associated with susceptibility to ACS and its recurrence in a Chinese case-control study comprising 675 patients with ACS and 636 control subjects and replicated the investigation in an independent study comprising 360 cases and 360 control subjects. The plasma concentration of IL-8 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results IL-8 -251A】T poly-morphism was associated with increased susceptibility to ACS (P=0.004;OR=1.30 CI:1.12-1.53).Replication in the second study yielded similar results.IL-8 -251 A/T may affect the expression of IL-8 by the evidence that augmented IL-8 production revealed in serum of the AMI patients by ELISA. Conclusions IL-8 -251 A/T polymorphism is associated with ACS risk in Chinese Han population and An allele of IL-8- 251A/T may be an independent predictive factor.

Expression and significance of PAX8 gene in ovarian cancer based on Oncomine database Meta-analysis

Objective Although great progress has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer, this disease is still the leading cause of death due to female reproductive system tumors. It has been reported that the paired box 8 (PAX8) gene is involved in the occurrence and development of a variety of human tumors. However, few researchers have investigated this phenomenon in detail. Methods Here, the BioGPS database was used to analyze the expression of the PAX8 gene in normal tissues. The Oncomine database was used to search for PAX8 gene information, and the findings were analyzed via a meta-analysis with regard to the significance of this gene in ovarian cancer. The Kaplan- Meier Plotter database was used to analyze the prognosis of patients with ovarian cancer. The Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) was used only for obtaining cell line analysis data regarding the PAX8 gene. Results The relevant results of the BioGPS database analysis showed that PAX8 is not expressed or under-expressed in normal ovarian tissues. Oncomine data showed 454 different results;there were 417 study samples in total, with 9 results showing a significant statistical difference in PAX8 expression, 5 of which were related to high expression of PAX8 and 4 of which were related to low PAX8 expression. Cell line analysis data of the PAX8 gene obtained from CCLE showed high expression in ovarian cancer, which is consistent with the high expression of PAX8 in ovarian cancer research found using the Oncomine database. The Kaplan-Meier Plotter database showed that the expression level of PAX8 had a significant effect on the overall survival time of patients (P = 0.042). Compared with the low expression group, the overall survival time of ovarian cancer patients in the high expression group of PAX8 was significantly low (P < 0.05). Conclusion Through an in-depth study of the gene information of ovarian cancer-related genes using the gene chip data in the Oncomine database, it was concluded that PAX8 is highly expressed in ovarian cancer tissues and directly correlates to the prognostic survival of ovarian cancer patients. These findings provide an important basis for the development of clinical gene-targeted cancer therapeutic drugs.

OsABA8ox2, an ABA catabolic gene, suppresses root elongation of rice seedlings and contributes to drought response

In rice, OsABA8ox encodes abscisic acid(ABA) 8′-hydroxylase, which catalyzes the committed step of ABA catabolism. The contribution of ABA catabolism in root development remains unclear. We investigated the role of OsABA8ox2 in root growth and development and drought response. GUS staining results showed that OsABA8ox2 was expressed mainly in roots at seedling stage and was strongly expressed in the meristematic zone of the radicle. OsABA8ox2 expression in roots was markedly decreased after 0.5 h polyethylene glycol(PEG) treatment and increased after 0.5 h rehydration, implying that OsABA8ox2 is a drought-responsive gene.OsABA8ox2 knockout mediated by the CRISPR-Cas9 system increased drought-induced ABA and indole-3-acetic acid accumulation in roots, conferred increased ABA sensitivity, and promoted a more vertically oriented root system architecture(RSA) beneficial to drought tolerance.OsABA8ox2 overexpression suppressed root elongation and increased stomatal conductance and transpiration rate. Consequently, OsABA8ox2 knockout dramatically improved rice drought tolerance, whereas OsABA8ox2 overexpression seedlings were hypersensitive to drought stress,suggesting that OsABA8ox2 contributes to drought response in rice. Compared with wild type,functional leaves of OsABA8ox2 knockout seedlings showed higher ABA levels, whereas overexpression lines showed lower ABA levels, suggesting that OsABA8ox2, as an ABA catabolic gene, modulates ABA concentration through ABA catabolism. OsABA8ox2 and OsABA8ox3 were both localized in the endoplasmic reticulum. Together, these results indicate that OsABA8ox2 suppresses root elongation of rice seedlings, increases water transpiration, and contributes to drought response through ABA catabolism, and that OsABA8ox2 knockout dramatically improves rice drought tolerance. They highlight the key role of ABA catabolism mediated by OsABA8ox2 on root growth and development. OsABA8ox2, as a novel RSA gene, would be a potential genetic target for the improvement of rice drought tolerance.

Methylation of the PCDH8 (Protocadherin-8) gene in gastric cancer

Objective: To investigate the methylation status of the PCDH8 (Protocadherin-8) gene in gastric cancer tissues and find out the relationship between methylation status of the PCDH8 and clinicopathological features in gastric cancer patients. Methods: We first investigated the methylation status of the PCDH8 (Protocadherin-8) gene in 65 gastric cancer and detected aberrant promoter methylation in gastric cancers; and then analyzed he relationship between methylation status of the PCDH8 and clinicopathological status with SPSS 13.0 software. Results: We first investigated the methylation status of the PCDH8 (Protocadherin-8) gene in 65 gastric cancer and detected aberrant promoter methylation in 36 of 65 (55.4%) gastric cancers. There was no significant difference in the distribution of patients with methylation or unmethylation of PCDH8 in terms of age, sex, tumor size, distant metastasis, or TNM stage. Methylation of PCDH8 was significantly correlated to negative pathological lymph node metastasis (P=0.038) and tumor differentiation (P=0.01). These two factors were proved to be of prognostic importance. Conclusion: Methylated PCDH8 seems to have a trend for worse prognosis in gastric cancer. However, a further large series of tumor samples and a longer follow-up period are required to elucidate its potential role.

Nonsense variant of ATP8B1 gene in heterozygosis and benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis is a genetic disorder with recurrent cholestatic jaundice due to ATP8B1 and ABCB11 gene mutations encoding for hepato-canalicular transporters.Herein,we firstly provide the evidence that a nonsense variant of ATP8B1 gene(c.1558A>T)in heterozygous form is involved in BRIC pathogenesis.CASE SUMMARY A 29-year-old male showed severe jaundice and laboratory tests consistent with intrahepatic cholestasis despite normal gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase.Acute and chronic liver diseases with viral,metabolic and autoimmune etiology were excluded.Normal intra/extra-hepatic bile ducts were demonstrated by magnetic resonance.Liver biopsy showed:Cholestasis in the centrilobular and intermediate zones with bile plugs and intra-hepatocyte pigment,Kupffer’s cell activation/hyperplasia and preserved biliary ducts.Being satisfied benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis diagnostic criteria,ATP8B1 and ABCB11 gene analysis was performed.Surprisingly,we found a novel nonsense variant of ATP8B1 gene(c.1558A>T)in heterozygosis.The variant was confirmed by Sanger sequencing following a standard protocol and tested for familial segregation,showing a maternal inheritance.Immunohistochemistry confirmed a significant reduction of mutated gene related protein(familial intrahepatic cholestasis 1).The patient was treated with ursodeoxycholic acid 15 mg/kg per day and colestyramine 8 g daily with total bilirubin decrease and normalization at the 6th and 12th mo.CONCLUSION A genetic abnormality,different from those already known,could be involved in familial intrahepatic cholestatic disorders and/or pro-cholestatic genetic predisposition,thus encouraging further mutation detection in this field.

Expression of <i>T4HR1</i>, a 1,3,6,8-Tetrahydroxynaphthalene Reductase Gene Involved in Melanin Biosynthesis, Is Enhanced by Near-Ultraviolet Irradiation in <i>Bipolaris oryzae</i>

Bipolaris oryzae is the causal agent of brown spot disease in rice and produces the dark pigment melanin. We isolated and characterized T4HR1 gene encoding 1,3,6,8-tetrahydroxynaphthalene (1,3,6,8-THN) reductase, which converted 1,3,6,8-THN to scytalone in the melanin biosynthesis from B. oryzae. A sequence analysis showed that the T4HR1 gene encoded a putative protein of 268 amino acids showing 50% - 99% sequence identity to other fungal 1,3,6,8-THN reductases. Targeted disruption of the T4HR1 gene showed a different phenotype of mycelial color due to an accumulation of shunt products compared to those of wild-type on PDA plates using tricyclazole as a melanin biosynthesis inhibitor. A quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that the expression of T4HR1 transcripts was enhanced by near-ultraviolet (NUV) irradiation and regulated by transcriptional factor BMR1, similar to three other melanin biosynthesis genes (polyketide synthase gene [PKS1], scytalone dehydratase gene [SCD1], and 1,3,8-THN reductase gene [THR1]) in the melanin biosynthesis of B. oryzae. These results suggested that common transcriptional mechanisms could regulate the enhanced gene expression of these melanin biosynthesis genes by NUV irradiation in B. oryzae.

Molecular Dissection of Bombyx mori Nucleopolyhedrovirus orf8 Gene

Viruses including baculoviruses are obligatory parasites, as their genomes do not encode all the proteins required for replication. Therefore, viruses have evolved to exploit the behavior and the physiology of their hosts and olden coevolved with their hosts over millions of years. Recent comparative analyses of complete genome sequences of baculoviruses revealed the patterns of gene acquisitions and losses that have occurred during baculovirus evolution. In addition, knowledge of virus genes has also provided understanding of the mechanism of baculovirus infection including replication, species-specific virulence and host range. The Bm8 gene of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus （NPV） and its homologues are found only in group I NPV genomes. The Autographa californica NPV Ac 16 gene is a homologue of Bm8 and, encodes a viral structural protein. It has been shown that BmS/Ac 16 interacts with baculoviral and cellular proteins. BmS/Ac 16 interacts with baculoviral IE1 that is facilitated by coiled coil domains, and the interaction with IE1 is important for Bin8 function. Acl6 also forms a complex with viral FP25 and cellular actin and associates with membranes via palmitoylation. These data suggested that this gene family encodes a multifunctional protein that accomplishes specific needs of group I NPVs.

Cloning of Promoter of Chinese Bean GRP 1.8 Gene and Characterization of Its Function in Transgenic Tobacco Plants

In order to learn the expression pattern of GRP1 8(glycine rich protein) gene promoter in transgenic plants and to explore its potential application in plant genetic engineering for vascular specific expression of interested genes, GRP 1 8 promoter was amplified by PCR from Chinese bean genomic DNA. The intermediate vector was constructed by inserting vascular specific expression promoter of GRP 1 8 gene in vector pBI 101. The regenerated tobacco plants obtained were analyzed by PCR to select the putative transgenic plants. The histochemical localization of GUS( β D glucosidase) activity indicates that as for that of GRP 1 8 promoter we can confer the vascular specific expression of GUS gene.