Although many deep-sea species are considered to have transoceanic distribution, this assumption has rarely been critically tested. Using Hesiolyra (Hesionidae) as a case study, we show that careful ...molecular and morphological analyses are required for refuting/accepting claims about such wide distribution. Hesiolyra is a genus of polychaetes commonly found in hydrothermal vents of the Eastern Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Ocean. Nevertheless, H. bergi Blake, 1985, a species originally described from the Eastern Pacific Rise (EPR), is the only recognized species in this genus. Phylogenetic analyses based on the COI and 16 S rRNA genes revealed two monophyletic clades that were distinct from a clade consisting of H. bergi sequences. We erected two new species of Hesiolyra, herein named as H. longqiensisn. sp. from the Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR) and H. heteropodan. sp. from the Central Indian Ridge (CIR) and the Carlsberg Ridge (CR). Among them, H. longqiensisn. sp. is more closely related to H. bergi than to H. heteropodan. sp. . Morphologically, the two newly described species can be easily distinguished from H. bergi. The notopodia and neuropodia of H. bergi and H. longqiensisn. sp., are of similar sizes, but the morphology of their lyrate chaetae and their dorsal cirri alternation patterns are different. In H. heteropodan. sp., the notopodia are remarkably slimmer than the neuropodia, and it lacks lyrate chaetae. Overall, in this report two new species of Hesiolyra from the Indian Ocean ridges and show that the distribution of H. bergi is restricted to the Eastern Pacific Rise. Future exploration of other mid-ocean ridges is required to discover the true diversity of this genus of polychaetes inhabiting hydrothermal vent fields.
•Hesiolyra are common polychaetes living on chimney walls of hydrothermal vents.•The genus was considered to be monospecific.•Hesiolyra bergi from East Pacific Rise was the only recognized species.•We described two new species of Hesiolyra from Indian Ocean ridges.
An ultrasensitive protocol for surface plasma resonance (SPR) detection of adenosine is designed with the aptamer-based target-triggering cascade multiple cycle amplification, and streptavidin-coated ...Au-NPs (Au NPs–SA) enhancement to enhance the SPR signals. The cascade amplification process consists of the aptamer-based target-triggering nicking enzyme signaling amplification (T-NESA), the nicking enzyme signaling amplification (NESA) and the hybridization chain reaction (HCR), the entire circle amplification process is triggered by the target recognition of adenosine. Upon recognition of the aptamer to target adenosine, DNA s1 is released from the aptamer and then hybridizes with hairpin DNA (HP1). The DNA s1 can be dissociated from HP1 under the reaction of nicking endonuclease to initiate the next hybridization and cleavage process. Moreover, the products of the upstream cycle (T-NESA) (DNA s2 and s3) could act as the “DNA trigger” of the downstream cycle (NESA and HCR) to generate further signal amplification, resulting in the immobilization of abundant Au NPs−SA on the gold substrate, and thus significant SPR enhancement is achieved due to the electronic coupling interaction between the localized surface plasma of Au NPs and the surface plasma wave. This detection method exhibits excellent specificity and sensitivity toward adenosine with a detection limit of 4 fM. The high sensitivity and specificity make this method a great potential for detecting biomolecules with trace amounts in bioanalysis and clinical biomedicine.
Vitamin C (VC) is an essential nutrient for many animals. However, whether insects, including Bombyx mori, can synthesize VC remains unclear. In this article, the optimized HPLC method was used to ...determine the content of l‐ascorbic acid (AsA) in silkworm eggs, larvae and pupae, and the activity of l‐gulono‐1,4‐lactone oxidase (GULO), a key enzyme in VC synthesis. The RNA interference method was used to determine the effect of the BmGulo‐like gene on embryonic development and GULO activity in the pupal fat body. The AsA content increased significantly during E144 h–E168 h in the late embryonic stage and P48 h–P144 h in the middle‐late pupal stage, in which exogenous VC was not ingested. Furthermore, the body AsA content in larvae fed VC‐free feed also increased with larval stage. The GULO enzymatic activity was present in eggs and the fat bodies of larvae and pupae, even when the larvae were reared with fresh mulberry leaves. Moreover, the activity was higher in the later embryonic stages (E144 h–E168 h) and the early pupal stage (before P24 h). The GULO activity in the pupal fat body dramatically decreased when the screened BmGulo‐like gene (BGIBMGA005735) was knocked down with small interfering RNA; in addition, the survival rate and hatching rate of eggs significantly decreased 21% and 44%, respectively, and embryonic development was delayed. Thus, Bombyx mori can synthesize AsA through the l‐gulose pathway, albeit with low activity, and this synthesis ability varies with developmental stages.
Graphical
Silkworms can synthesize l‐ascorbic acid (AsA) in the egg and pupal stages, on the basis of changes in vitamin C content. (a) Silkworm generation development and sampling time axis. E0 h and E192 h, 0 h and 192 h after oviposition. 1L‐N, newly‐hatched larva. 2L‐E, 3L‐E, 4L‐E, and 5L‐E show newly exuviated (molted) larva of the 2st‐instar, 3th‐instar, 4th‐instar and 5th‐instar, respectively. P0 h and 312 h, 0 h and 312 h after pupation. (b) AsA content of silkworm dry weight.
HIGHLIGHTS
Silkworm can synthesize l‐ascorbic acid (AsA) through the l‐gulose pathway.
BGIBMGA005735 gene is a BmGulo‐like gene.
AsA synthesis ability varies with developmental stages.
Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide. However, limited effective biomarkers are associated with the tumorigenesis and prognosis of CRC. Methods The present ...study identified potential signatures from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and further validated the identified biomarkers in CRC tissues by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results The expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) and Livin gene was significantly upregulated in CRC samples compared to the adjacent normal samples in the TCGA dataset. IHC indicated that IGF-1R and Livin protein levels are increased in CRC and adenoma tissues compared to normal tissues. Notably, the IGF-1R protein levels differed significantly between adenoma and CRC. The elevated IGF-1R and Livin expression was associated with CRC clinicopathological features, including age, gender, histological subtype, individual cancer stages, nodal metastasis, and TP53-mutant in TCGA. Additionally, the IGF-1R promoter methylation level was closely related to CRC. Consistent with the TCGA study, IHC indicated that overexpressed IGF-1R and Livin proteins were independent risk factors for stage and metastasis. A marked correlation was established between IGF-1R and Livin expression in CRC, while the survival map showed no significant correlation with CRC. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that CRC patients with high IGF-1R or Livin expression had a prolonged overall disease-free survival than those with low expression in TCGA. Conclusion IGF-1R and Livin are associated with CRC tumorigenesis and might be valuable for novel biomarker identification and targeted therapeutic strategy development. Keywords: Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R), Livin, Colorectal cancer, Tumorigenesis, The Cancer genome atlas (TCGA)
Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons within the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus are vital anorexigenic neurons. Although both the leptin and insulin receptors are coupled to the activation of ...phosphatidylinositide 3 kinase (PI3K) in POMC neurons, they are thought to have disparate actions on POMC excitability. Using whole-cell recording and selective pharmacological tools, we have found that, similar to leptin, purified insulin depolarized POMC and adjacent kisspeptin neurons via activation of TRPC5 channels, which are highly expressed in these neurons. In contrast, insulin hyperpolarized and inhibited NPY/AgRP neurons via activation of KATP channels. Moreover, Zn2+, which is found in insulin formulations at nanomolar concentrations, inhibited POMC neurons via activation of KATP channels. Finally, as predicted, insulin given intracerebroventrically robustly inhibited food intake and activated c-fos expression in arcuate POMC neurons. Our results show that purified insulin excites POMC neurons in the arcuate nucleus, which we propose is a major mechanism by which insulin regulates energy homeostasis.
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•Purified insulin excites POMC and kisspeptin neurons but inhibits NPY/AgRP neurons•Insulin excitation is through activation of PI3K and TRPC5 channels•Zn2+ in insulin formulations inhibits POMC neurons via activation of KATP channels•Insulin inhibits food intake and activates c-fos expression in arcuate POMC neurons
Although insulin and leptin have similar anorexigenic effects, they are thought to have opposing actions on POMC excitability. Qiu et al. show that insulin, similar to leptin, depolarizes POMC neurons and identify Zn2+, found at nanomolar concentrations in insulin formation, as the inhibitor of POMC neurons.
Erosion of coral substrate plays a crucial role in reef calcium carbonate budget, but little is known about erosion in subtropical corals. In a 2-year study of coral substrate erosion, we deployed ...Porites skeletal blocks at nine sites across subtropical Hong Kong waters. External erosion varied from 0.05 to 3.07 kg m−2 yr−1 and accounted for 23.4–99.2% of the total erosion. More than half of the study sites had substantial external erosion (> 1 kg m−2 yr−1), and the values were positively correlated with density of the sea urchin Diadema setosum. Excluding urchins from access to the skeletal blocks using cages reduced external erosion by more than 90%. Overall, our study revealed that external erosion caused by urchin grazing contributed predominantly to the total coral skeletal loss in Hong Kong waters. Control of sea urchin population is needed to reduce coral erosion in places with high urchin density. (149 words).
•Coral substrate erosion was studied by deploying coral blocks in the field•Erosion and accretion were quantified using microCT•High erosion was found in more than half of the study sites•External erosion was the main contributor to the overall erosion•Sea urchin grazing was likely the cause of the high external erosion
This study aimed to clarify changes in the prevalence of rheumatic diseases in Shantou, China, in the past 3 decades and validate whether stair-climbing is a risk factor for knee pain and knee ...osteoarthritis (KOA). The World Health Organization-International League Against Rheumatism Community Oriented Program for Control of Rheumatic Diseases (COPCORD) protocol was implemented. In all, 2337 adults living in buildings without elevators and 1719 adults living in buildings with elevators were surveyed. The prevalence of rheumatic pain at any site and in the knee was 15.7% and 10.2%, respectively; both types of pain had a significantly higher incidence in residents of buildings without elevators than was reported by people who lived in buildings with elevators (14.9% vs. 10.6% and 11.32% vs. 8.82%, respectively) (both P < 0.0001). The prevalence of rheumatic pain in the neck, lumbar spine, shoulder, elbow, and foot was 5.6%, 4.5%, 3.1%, 1.4%, and 1.8%, respectively; these findings were similar to the data from the 1987 rural survey, but were somewhat lower than data reported in the urban and suburban surveys of the 1990s, with the exception of neck and lumbar pain. The prevalence of KOA, gout, and fibromyalgia was 7.10%, 1.08%, and 0.07%, respectively, and their prevalence increased significantly compared with those in previous studies from the 20th century. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (0.35%) or ankylosing spondylitis (AS) (0.31%) compared to that reported in prior surveys. The prevalence of KOA was higher in for residents of buildings without elevators than that in those who had access to elevators (16-64 years, 5.89% vs. 3.95%, P = 0.004; 16->85 years, 7.64% vs. 6.26%, P = 0.162). The prevalence of RA and AS remained stable, whereas that of KOA, gout, and fibromyalgia has increased significantly in Shantou, China, during the past 3 decades. Stair-climbing might be an important risk factor for knee pain and KOA.
Previous studies have revealed tight metabolic complementarity between bivalves and their endosymbiotic chemosynthetic bacteria, but little is known about their interactions with ectosymbionts. Our ...analysis of the ectosymbiosis between a deep-sea scallop (Catillopecten margaritatus) and a gammaproteobacterium showed that bivalves could be highly interdependent with their ectosymbionts as well. Our microscopic observation revealed abundant sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) on the surfaces of the gill epithelial cells. Microbial 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of the gill tissues showed the dominance of the SOB. An analysis of the SOB genome showed that it is substantially smaller than its free-living relatives and has lost cellular components required for free-living. Genomic and transcriptomic analyses showed that this ectosymbiont relies on rhodanese-like proteins and SOX multienzyme complex for energy generation, mainly on the Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) cycle and peripherally on a phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase for carbon assimilation. Besides, the symbiont encodes an incomplete tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Observation of the scallop's digestive gland and its nitrogen metabolism pathways indicates it does not fully rely on the ectosymbiont for nutrition. Analysis of the host's gene expression provided evidence that it could offer intermediates for the ectosymbiont to complete its TCA cycle and some amino acid synthesis pathways using exosomes, and its phagosomes, endosomes, and lysosomes might be involved in harvesting nutrients from the symbionts. Overall, our study prompts us to rethink the intimacy between the hosts and ectosymbionts in Bivalvia and the evolution of chemosymbiosis in general.
An important role of genetic factors in the development of breast cancer (BC) or ovarian cancer (OC) in Taiwanese (ethnic Chinese) patients has been suggested. However, other than germline BRCA1 or ...BRCA2 mutations, which are related to hereditary breast-ovarian cancer (HBOC), cancer-predisposition genes have not been well studied in this population. The aim of the present study was to more accurately summarize the prevalence of genetic mutations in HBOC patients using various gene panels ranging in size from BRCA1/2 alone to multi-gene panels. Among 272 HBOC patients analyzed, the prevalence of BRCA1, BRCA2 and non-BRCA1/2 pathogenic mutations was 7.7% (21/272), 6.8% (16/236) and 8.2% (13/159), respectively. The total mutation rate was 18.4% (50/272). Although no founder mutations were identified in this study, two recurrent mutations, BRCA1 (c.3607C>T) and BRCA2 (c.5164_5165 delAG), were found. The main pathogenic/likely pathogenic mutations in non-BRCA1/2 genes included ATM, BRIP1, FANCI, MSH2, MUYTH, RAD50, RAD51C and TP53. The prevalence rate of gene mutations in HBOC patients did not differ with respect to whether BC or OC was the first diagnosis or they presented a family history of the disease or their age at diagnosis. HBOC patients with both BC and OC exhibited a higher prevalence rate of mutations (50.0%) than patients with OC (25.0%) or BC (8.6%) alone. In conclusion, evaluation of hereditary cancer risk in Taiwan HBOC patients, particularly individuals with double cancer, is strongly encouraged. Panel testing can yield additional genomic information, and widespread and well-designed panel testing will help in assessing more accurate mutational prevalence of risk genes.
Two prevailing models have emerged to explain the mechanism of contractile-ring assembly during cytokinesis in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe: the spot/leading cable model and the ...search, capture, pull, and release (SCPR) model. We tested some of the basic assumptions of the two models. Monte Carlo simulations of the SCPR model require that the formin Cdc12p is present in >30 nodes from which actin filaments are nucleated and captured by myosin-II in neighboring nodes. The force produced by myosin motors pulls the nodes together to form a compact contractile ring. Live microscopy of cells expressing Cdc12p fluorescent fusion proteins shows for the first time that Cdc12p localizes to a broad band of 30-50 dynamic nodes, where actin filaments are nucleated in random directions. The proposed progenitor spot, essential for the spot/leading cable model, usually disappears without nucleating actin filaments. alpha-Actinin ain1 deletion cells form a normal contractile ring through nodes in the absence of the spot. Myosin motor activity is required to condense the nodes into a contractile ring, based on slower or absent node condensation in myo2-E1 and UCS rng3-65 mutants. Taken together, these data provide strong support for the SCPR model of contractile-ring formation in cytokinesis.
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