Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy Of Sciences
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Genetic relationship among 12 Trapa species/varietas from Yangtze River Basin revealed by AFLP markers
No full textTrapa species are floating-leaved aquatic plants with significant economic and ecological values. However, the genetic relationship within Trapa genus is unclear. Here, we evaluated the genetic relationship of 12 Trapa species/varietas and 155 individuals collected from the Yangtze River Basin (China), one of the species diversity centers of the genus. With 264 AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism) bands, the NJ analysis showed that all the individuals were clearly divided into groups according to their taxonomic positions and geographic origins. Both PCoA and NJ analysis further demonstrated that the two small-seed species (T. incisa and T. maximowiczii) were initially separated from the other taxa with large seeds, indicating the basal classification status of the two species. Three clustering approaches (NJ tree, STRUCTURE and PCoA) consistently exhibited a close relationship among T. bispinosa, T. quadrispinosa and T. bicornis var. cochinchinensis, which suggested that T. bicornis var. cochinchinensis, the cultivated taxon, might be of hybrid origin between T. bispinosa and T. quadrispinosa; as for T. quadrispinosa group, T. quadrispinosa var. quadrispinosa and its two variants shared the same genetic group and should be treated as one species; compared with T. japonica as a single genetic cluster, four taxa (T. natans var. pumila, T. octotuberculata, T. macropoda and T. mammillifera) were closely related, and the four taxa shared thick husks and exaggerated or deformed tubercles on seeds. This study is of great implication to provide molecular proof for phylogeny within Trapa genus, which will facilitate the utilization of natural germplasm of Trapa
Molecular characterization of a cyprinid fish (Ancherythroculter nigrocauda) TBK1 and its kinase activity in IFN regulation
No full textTANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) plays a vital role in activating interferon (IFN) production and positively regulating antiviral response in mammals. Research on more species of fish is necessary to clarify whether the function of fish TBK1 is conserved compared to that in mammals. Here, a cyprinid fish (Ancherythroculter nigrocauda) TBK1 (AnTBK1) was functionally identified and characterized. The full-length open reading frame (ORF) of AnTBK1 consists of 2184 nucleotides encoding 727 amino acids and contains a conserved Serine/Threonine protein kinase catalytic domain (S_TKc) in the N-terminal, similar to TBK1 in other species. The transcripts of AnTBK1 were found in all the tissues evaluated and the cellular distribution indicated that AnTBK1 was localized in the cytoplasm. In terms of functional identification, AnTBK1 induced a variety of IFN promoter activities as well as the expression of downstream IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). In addition, AnTBK1 interacted with and significantly phosphorylated IFN regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), exhibiting the canonical kinase activity of TBK1. Finally, AnTBK1 presented strong antiviral activity against spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV) infection. Taken together, our research on the features and functions of AnTBK1 demonstrated that AnTBK1 plays a central role in IFN induction against SVCV infection
The expanding and function of NLRC3 or NLRC3-like in teleost fish: Recent advances and novel insights
No full textThe nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat-containing family (NLR) proteins are innate immune sensors which recognize highly conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Mammals have small numbers of NLR proteins, whereas in some species such as in invertebrates and jawless vertebrates, NLRs have expanded into very large families. Nearly 400 NLR proteins are identified in the zebrafish genome. Members of the NLR family can be divided into two functional sub-groups based on their ability to either positively or negatively regulate host immune response or inflammatory signaling cascades. Mammalian NLRC3 has been identified as an inhibitory NLR, and serves as a negative regulator in the NE-KB-mediated inflammatory response, STING-mediated DNA sensing and PI3K-mTOR pathways. Different from mammalian NLRC3, the analysis from genomes or transcriptomes revealed that the expansions of NLRC3 existed in different species of fish. Furthermore, piscine NLRC3-like genes were confirmed to have a negative or positive regulatory function in response to different kinds of pathogen infections and in the production of pminflammatory cytokines. In this review, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of the expanding and function of NLRC3 or NLRC3-like genes in teleost fish, and give our view of important directions for future studies. The knowledge of piscine NLRC3 or expansive NLRC3-like genes-mediated biological functions in homeostasis and diseases will shed new light on the prevention and control of inflammatory and/or infectious diseases
Reduction in the phytoplankton index of biotic integrity in riverine ecosystems driven by industrial activities, dam construction and mining: A case study in the Ganjiang River, China
No full textIndustrial activities, dam construction, and mining are three human activities important for societal and economic development. However, the effects of these activities on phytoplankton communities have been less quantitatively assessed than those on other groups, such as macroinvertebrates, fish, and periphytic algae. In the present study, we selected the Ganjiang River basin, a tributary of the Yangtze River as the representative area to develop a feasible phytoplankton index of biotic integrity (Phyto-IBI) to evaluate the effects of industrial activities, dam construction, and mining on the biotic integrity of riverine ecosystems. The results showed that the three activities greatly altered the abundance and composition of phytoplankton, with a reduction in phytoplankton species quantity and diversity and an increase in abundance. The health status of the Ganjiang River was fair, and the health statuses of industrial areas, dam areas, mining areas, and reference points were poor, poor, fair, and good, respectively. The three activities damaged the biotic integrity of the aquatic system. Moreover, compared to industrial activities and mining, dam construction is more harmful to aquatic systems in the Ganjiang River. The locally weighted regression scatter plot smoother (LOWESS) method showed that an ammonium nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration of 0.65 mg L-1 is the environmental protection threshold for planktonic biotic integrity in the Ganjiang River. This study not only quantitatively assesses phytoplankton responses to industrial activities, dam construction, and mining but also provides guidance regarding the ecological monitoring, assessment and protection of riverine ecosystems
Occurrence, Toxicity, and Removal Methods of Triclosan: a Timely Review
No full textPurpose of Review Triclosan (TCS) is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent that has been widely used in pharmaceutical and personal care products. TCS enters the environment mainly in effluent and biosolids from wastewater treatment plants, and persists in the aquatic environment and edatope. TCS is potentially harmful to the environment and biohealth because of its properties, being lipophilic, accumulative, toxic, and persistent. Therefore, TCS has become a research hotspot in recent years. The purpose of this review is to summarize the occurrence, toxicity, ecological effects, and removal methods of TCS. Recent Findings TCS has a long half-life, and is found widely in the environment. Toxicity and ecological effects of TCS have been found in recent studies. Moreover, TCS has joint effects with multiple pollutants, and many of its transformation products are also toxic. Methods to remove TCS from the environment include adsorption, advanced oxidation technology, ecological engineering, and applying multiple methods in tandem. Each method is constantly being updated. This paper reviews recent research done on TCS, focusing on its occurrence, toxicity, ecological effects, and removal. Finally, several perspectives for research on this substance are outlined
Protein Phosphatase PP1 Negatively Regulates IRF3 in Response to GCRV Infection in Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)
No full textProtein phosphatase-1 (PP1) has an important role in many cell functions, such as cell differentiation, development, immune response and tumorigenesis. However, the specific role of PP1 in the antiviral response in fish remains to be elucidated. In this study, the PPP1R3G homolog was identified in the grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) and its role in defence against the GCRV infection was investigated. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that CiPPP1R3G clustered with homologues from other teleosts. Temporal expression analysis in vivo revealed that the expression level of CiPPP1R3G was significantly up-regulated in response to GCRV infection in grass carps, especially in the intestine and head-kidney. Cellular distribution analysis revealed that CiPPP1R3G was located in the nucleus and cytoplasm. Overexpression of CiPPP1R3G significantly negatively regulated the expression of CiIRF3, thus inhibiting its activation. In summary, we systematically analyzed the PPP1R3G gene in grass carp and illustrated its function as a negative regulator in the anti-GCRV immune responses
IRF11 regulates positively type I IFN transcription and antiviral response in mandarin fish, Siniperca chuatsi
No full textIn vertebrates, a total of eleven interferon (IFN) regulatory factors (IRFs), IRF1 to IRF11 are reported, with the conserved presence of IRF1 to IRF9 in all classes of vertebrates. However, IRF10 has been reported only in fish and birds, and IRF11 seems to be a fish specific IRF member. In this study, IRF11 in mandarin fish Siniperca chuatsi was found upregulated following virus infection, and IRF11 was localized constitutively in nucleus as revealed through immunofluorescence test. The overexpression and/or luciferase reporter assays showed that IRF11 can induce transcriptionally the ISRE activity, and the expression of type I IFNs, IFNc and IFNh, as well as the IFN-stimulated gene, Mx, thus inhibiting the Siniperca chuatsi rhabdovirus (SCRV) replication as indicated in the reduced expression of virus protein genes. It is thus suggested that IRF11 in mandarin fish and probably in other teleost fish can exert its antiviral effect through the upregulation of type I IFNs and ISGs
Protein Phosphatase PP1 Negatively Regulates IRF3 in Response to GCRV Infection in Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)
No full textProtein phosphatase-1 (PP1) has an important role in many cell functions, such as cell differentiation, development, immune response and tumorigenesis. However, the specific role of PP1 in the antiviral response in fish remains to be elucidated. In this study, the PPP1R3G homolog was identified in the grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) and its role in defence against the GCRV infection was investigated. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that CiPPP1R3G clustered with homologues from other teleosts. Temporal expression analysis in vivo revealed that the expression level of CiPPP1R3G was significantly up-regulated in response to GCRV infection in grass carps, especially in the intestine and head-kidney. Cellular distribution analysis revealed that CiPPP1R3G was located in the nucleus and cytoplasm. Overexpression of CiPPP1R3G significantly negatively regulated the expression of CiIRF3, thus inhibiting its activation. In summary, we systematically analyzed the PPP1R3G gene in grass carp and illustrated its function as a negative regulator in the anti-GCRV immune responses
Novel pituitary actions of NKB for anorectic peptides regulation in grass carp
No full textNeurokinin B (NKB), the gene product of tachykinin 3 (TAC3), has recently emerged as a key regulator for reproduction. However, previous studies were mainly focused on the functions of NKB on hypothalamus GnRH regulation in mammals, little information is available regarding its functional role at the pituitary level in teleost. In this study, using grass carp pituitary cells as model, transcriptome analysis revealed that the differential expression genes (DEGS) induced by NKBa were mainly involved in the regulation of appetite, hormone activity, growth factor, and metabolic process. Secondly, by using qPCR, we further confirmed that NKB could significantly induce four anorectic peptides (UTS1, CART, POMCb and NMB) mRNA expression in a timeand dose dependent manner in grass carp pituitary cells. Thirdly, using a pharmacological approach, the stimulatory effects of NKBa on pituitary UTS1, CART, POMCb and NMB mRNA expression were found to be all mediated by NK3R and coupled to the cAMP/PKA, PLC/IP3/PKC and Ca2+/CaM/CaMK-II signal pathways. Furthermore, intraperitoneal injection of NKBa could also significantly induce the four anorectic peptides (UTS1, CART, POMCb and NMB) mRNA expression in grass carp pituitary. Finally, we found that food intake in grass carp could significantly induce hypothalamus TAC3a and TAC3b mRNA expression. These results, taken together, suggested that NKB should be a satiety factor and involved in the regulation of pituitary anorectic peptides in teleost
TBK1 regulates the induction of innate immune response against GCRV by phosphorylating IRF3 in rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus )
No full textRare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus), a small cyprinid species that is highly sensitive to the grass carp reovirus (GCRV), is regarded as an ideal model to study the mechanisms of innate immunity in fish. In the present study, a TBK1 homologue from rare minnow (GrTBK1) was identified and its roles in defence against viral infection were investigated. Sequence analysis showed that GrTBK1 encoded a 727-amino acid peptide which shared 98% and 72% identity to the black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) and human (Homo sapiens) orthologues, respectively. The amino acid sequence analysis demonstrated that GrTBK1 contains a conserved Serine/Threonine protein kinases catalytic domain (S_TKc) at the N-terminus. Furthermore, cellular distribution proved that GrTBK1 was located in the cytoplasm region. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed that GrTBK1 was ubiquitously expressed in all examined organs, but especially highly in liver. Temporal expression analysis in vivo showed that the expression levels of GrTBK1 were obviously up-regulated in response to GCRV infection. Meanwhile, qRTPCR assay revealed that the levels of S7 RNA, an important segment of GCRV genome, were higher in the liver than in other tissues. This indicates that GrTBK1 might play a crucial role in responses to GCRV infection in fish. In addition, GrTBK1 activated several type I interferon (IFN) promoters and induced the expression of downstream type I IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). Furthermore, GrTBK1 obviously phosphorylated the interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3). Furthermore, overexpression of GrTBK1 remarkably decreased the GCRV proliferation. In summary, we systematically characterized GrTBK1 and illustrated its role in the innate immune response to GCRV infections