Open Life Sciences最新文献

As a gateway for gas exchange, pores regulate the transport of air and water in carbon assimilation, respiration, and transpiration to quickly adapt to environmental changes. Therefore, the study of stomatal movement characteristics of plants is helpful to strengthen the understanding of the mechanism of plant response to multi-environmental stress, and can improve the function of plant resistance to stresses. The stomatal movement of Arabidopsis leaves was observed by staining the stomata with rhodamine 6G, but this method has not been reported in other plant leaf stomata studies. Taking cassava as an example, the correlation between cassava stomatal movement and cassava response to stress was observed by using and improving the staining method. Rhodamine 6G is a biological stain widely used in cell biology and molecular biology. It was found that 1 μM rhodamine 6G could stain the stomata of cassava without affecting stomatal movement (n = 109, p < 0.05). In addition, we proposed that stomata fixed with 4% concentration of formaldehyde after staining were closest to the stomatal morphology of cassava epidermis, so as to observe stomatal movement under different environmental stresses more accurately. Previous methods of measuring stomatal pore size by autofluorescence of cell wall needs to fix the cells for 6 h, but Rhodamine staining can only be observed in 2 min, which greatly improves the experimental efficiency. Compared with the traditional exfoliation method (e.g., Arabidopsis), this method can reduce the damage of the leaves and observe the stomata of the whole leaves more completely, so that the experimental results are more complete. In addition, the method enables continuous leaf processing and observation. Using this method, we further compared four different cassava varieties (i.e., KU50, SC16, SC8, and SC205) and found that there are differences in stomatal density (SD) among cassava varieties, and the difference in the SD directly affects the stress resistance of cassava (n = 107, p < 0.001). This finding has important implications for studying the mechanism of plant response to environmental stress through stomata.

Lonicera japonica is a well-known medicinal plant, and the Damaohua cultivar is one of the oldest known honeysuckle cultivars in China. The 155,151 bp chloroplast genome of this cultivar was obtained through Illumina sequencing. The genome includes a pair of inverted repeats (IRa and IRb; 23,789 bp each), a large single-copy region (88,924 bp), and a small single-copy (SSC) region (18,649 bp). In total, 127 unique genes were identified: 80 protein-coding, 39 tRNA, and 8 rRNA genes. Only ycf3 contained two introns. Eighty-nine large repetitive sequences and 54 simple sequence repeats were detected. Fifty potential RNA editing sites were predicted. Adaptive evolution analysis revealed that infA, matK, petB, petD, rbcL, rpl16, rpl2, rps3, ycf1, and ycf2 were positively selected, possibly reflecting the specific environmental adaptations of this cultivar. Sequence alignment and analysis revealed several candidate fragments for Lonicera species identification, such as the intergenic regions rpoB-petN, rbcL-accD, and psaA-ycf3. The IR region boundary and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the L. japonica cv. Damaohua chloroplast genome was most closely related to the L. japonica genome, but there were five distinct differences between the two. There are four sites with high variability between L. japonica and L. japonica cv. Damaohua with nucleotide variability (Pi) greater than 0.002, including rps2-rpoC2, atpB-rbcL, ycf1, and ycf1-trnN GUU. The differences between L. japonica and L. japonica cv. Damaohua were further confirmed by the single nucleotide polymorphism sites between these two species. Therefore, this study revealed that the chloroplast genome can serve as a universal super barcode for plant identification, which can identify differences and help distinguish Lonicera japonica from related species. An understanding of Lonicera japonica cv. Damaohua chloroplast genomics and a comparative analysis of Lonicera species will provide a scientific basis for breeding, species identification, systematic evolution analysis, and chloroplast genetic engineering research on medicinal honeysuckle plants.

Plant diversity in southern Yemen is crucial for maintaining rangeland ecosystem functions. This diversity contributes to the resilience of local pastoral communities, by providing essential forage and resources. However, high stocking density has led to the overuse of palatable species, resulting in increased competition for forage. This study evaluates the nutritional value of 25 indigenous forage species from the natural rangelands of Lahij Governorate. Significant variations were observed among the Forage species, with moisture content ranging from 4 to 39.6%, crude protein from 5.5 to 21.4%, non-fiber carbohydrates from 31.8 to 66.4%, crude fiber from 8.3 to 42.65%, and ash content from 9.2 to 34.6%. Clitoria ternatea, Lycium barbarum, Senegalia mellifera, Vigna sinensis, Albizia lebbeck, and Acacia trees with crude protein content higher than 16% showed substantial potential as livestock feed due to their favorable proximate compositions. Incorporating these high-potential species into regular livestock diets could significantly enhance the sustainability and productivity of pastoral systems in southern Yemen, addressing the current fodder shortage.

Copper (Cu) is considered one of the major heavy metal pollutants in agriculture, leading to reductions in crop yield. To reveal the molecular mechanisms of resistance to copper stress in maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings, transcriptome analysis was conducted on the hybrid variety Zhengdan 958 exposed to 0 (control), 5, and 10 mM Cu stress using RNA-seq. In total, 619, 2,685, and 1,790 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified compared to 5 mM versus 0 mM Cu, 10 mM versus 0 mM Cu, and 10 mM versus 5 mM Cu, respectively. Functional categorization of DEGs according to Gene Ontology revealed that heme binding, defense response, and multiorganism processes were significantly enriched under copper stress. Additionally, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis suggested that the copper stress response is mediated by pathways involving phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, and glutathione metabolism, among others. The transcriptome data demonstrated that metabolite biosynthesis and glutathione metabolism play key roles in the response of maize seedlings to copper stress, and these findings provide valuable information for enhancing copper resistance in maize.

Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) associated with autoantibodies against γ-aminobutyric acid-B receptor (GABA_BR-AE) is frequently identified in middle-aged and elderly males. The disease is characterized by seizures, mental, and behavioral abnormalities, as well as recent memory decline. Anti-GABA_BR antibody-associated encephalitis, presenting with syncope as the first symptom is rare. Here we report a case of AE with syncope as the first symptom. A 55-year-old male presented to the emergency department with transient loss of consciousness, initially diagnosed as syncope. As the disease progressed, the patient exhibited seizures, abnormal mental behavior, and cognitive impairment. Ultimately, the patient was diagnosed with right lung small cell lung cancer. The initial atypical symptoms and the lack of clear imaging features of GABA_BR encephalitis hinder early diagnosis. This case highlights the importance of screening for the underlying etiology of syncope in middle-aged and elderly patients.

Fibrosis is the primary cause of retinal detachment and visual decline. Here, we investigated the role of Prohibitin 2 (PHB2) in modulating fibrosis in ARPE-19 cells stimulated by transforming growth factor (TGF)-β2. The proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of ARPE-19 cells were evaluated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, wound healing, and flow cytometry assays, and levels of fibrosis-associated and pathway-related proteins were determined by performing western blotting. To examine the mechanisms underlying ARPE-19 cell fibrosis, we performed RNA sequencing, protein-protein interaction network, and enrichment analyses. We detected increases in the expression of the fibrosis-related proteins fibronectin and collagen I in response to TGF-β2 treatment, whereas the expression of PHB2 was downregulated. PHB2 overexpression suppressed the proliferation and migration of TGF-β2-stimulated ARPE-19 cells, promoted apoptosis, and inhibited fibrosis and Smad and non-Smad pathways. PHB2 overexpression inhibited the advanced glycation end-product (AGE)-receptor of advanced glycation end-product (RAGE) pathway activated by TGF-β2 treatment, which contributed to enhancing the effects of PHB2 on cellular processes, fibrosis, and Smad and non-Smad pathways. Conversely, exogenous application of AGE counteracted the effects of PHB2 overexpression. We conclude that by suppressing the AGE-RAGE pathway, PHB2 exerts an inhibitory effect on TGF-β2-induced fibrosis in ARPE-19 cells.

The resistance of tumor cells to chemotherapy drugs is a critical determinant in the recurrence and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Therefore, it is crucial to identify effective biotargets that can enhance the sensitivity of NPC cells to chemotherapy drugs. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNPK) plays a central role in regulating chemotherapy resistance across various tumor types. However, its specific function in NPC cells remains unclear. This study reveals that hnRNPK is overexpressed in NPC tissues while weakly expressed in normal nasopharyngeal tissues. The expression level of hnRNPK is negatively associated with NPC patient survival. Importantly, hnRNPK is a key inducer of chemotherapy resistance in NPC, as evidenced by the significant increase in NPC cell sensitivity to cisplatin following hnRNPK knockdown. Mechanistically, hnRNPK induces chemotherapy resistance in NPC cells by suppressing the activation of the Akt/caspase 3 pathway. In NPC tumor-bearing mice, hnRNPK knockdown enhances the efficacy of cisplatin chemotherapy. Consequently, this work identifies a potential target for enhancing the sensitivity of NPC cells to chemotherapy.

Milk microbiome contributes substantially to the formation of specific organoleptic and physicochemical characteristics of dairy products. The assessment of the composition and abundance of milk microbiota is a challenging task strongly influenced by many environmental factors. Specific dairy products may be designated by the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) labeling, which however, occasionally fail to differentiate them according to specific quality characteristics, which are defined by different microbiota-driven reactions. Combining the above limitations, the scope of the present study, was to summarize the existing information toward three main issues. First, to assess the influence level of the diet type and grazing to rumen-GI tract, mammary gland, and udder microbiome formation in ruminants. Second, to discuss the factors affecting milk microbiota, as well as the effect of the endo-mammary route on milk microbial taxa. Lastly, to evaluate "milk microbiome" as a tool for product differentiation, according to origin, which will contribute to a more robust PDO and PGI labeling. Although the limitations are still a matter of fact (especially considering the sample collection, process, evaluation, and avoidance of its contamination), significant progress has been made, regarding the identification of the factors affecting dairy products' microbiota and its core composition. In conclusion, although so far not totally efficient in dairy products molecular identification, with the progress in soil, water, plant, and animal host's microbiota assembly's characterization, microbiomics could provide a powerful tool for authentication and traceability of dairy products.

In our prior research, it was noted that slit guidance ligand 3 (SLIT3), a member of the SLIT-secreted protein family, may play a potential role in tumorigenesis. In addition, our prior work has found that the SLIT3 gene is highly methylated, especially in advanced-stage lung cancer tissues. Herein, we propose the hypothesis that abnormal SLIT3 expression may be linked to lung cancer development. In this study, decreased SLIT3 at the transcriptome and proteome levels was observed in lung cancer tissues. Furthermore, the downregulation of SLIT3 was related to a higher tumor stage and poorer prognosis. Silencing SLIT3 expression enhanced cell proliferation and migration, indicating potential characteristics of a tumor suppressor gene of SLIT3 in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Furthermore, SLIT3 deficiency stimulates UBE2C upregulation and regulates NSCLC progression through Wnt3A/β-catenin signaling. The activation of the WNT signaling pathway was highly correlated with chemoresistance development in lung cancer. In conclusion, SLIT3 deficiency promotes lung cancer onset and progression by modulating UBE2C/WNT signaling. SLIT3/UBE2C/WNT may serve as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets in NSCLC.

To explore the impact of score in patients with diabetes peripheral neuropathy (DPN) treated with traditional Chinese medicine package (TCMP) plus red light therapy and lipoic acid on malondialdehyde (MDA), erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (TAOC), motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV), sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV), and Toronto Clinical Scoring System (TSS). A total of 108 patients with DPN hospitalized in the hospital were chosen and divided into groups with the random number table. In the control group (CG) 54 patients were treated with conventional lipoic acid, and 54 patients in the experimental group (EG) accepted TCMP plus red light on the basis of the CG. The MDA, SOD, TAOC, MNCV, SNCV, and TSS scores before treatment and after treatment were compared between the two groups. Before treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in the levels of oxidation indicators, nerve conduction velocity, and symptom scores between the two groups (P > 0.05). After treatment, the MDA in the EG was lower than that in the CG, with a statistical significance difference (P < 0.05). The SOD and TAOC in the EG were higher than those in the CG, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The MNCV and SNCV of median nerve, common peroneal nerve, and tibial nerve in the EG were significantly higher than those in the CG (P < 0.05). The TSS score of the EG was lower than that of the CG, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The treatment of patients with DPN with lipoic acid plus TCMP and red light therapy can improve the symptoms and signs of disease, promote the recovery of motor and sensory conduction velocity, and optimize the body oxidation indicators.