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Objective: To investigate the role of Wnt signaling pathway on paraquat (PQ)induced PC12 cells damage., Methods: Using PC12 cells, in this study CCK8 assay was used to detect the effect of cell viability. The cell apoptosis and cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry. The real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to measure the mRNA expression of Wnt pathway key genes including Fzd1, Dvl2 and β-catenin and downstream genes including Bax, Bcl2, Survivin, Cyclin D1 and C-myc., Result: Compared with the control, PC12 cells viability in 50.00 and 100.00 µmol/L PQ treatment groups were obviously decreased, the cell cycle S phase arrest, and cell apoptosis increased (P<0.05). The 25.00, 50.00 and 100.00 µmol/L PQ treatment groups mRNA expression of Wnt pathway key genes including Fzd1, Dvl2 and β-catenin and downstream genes including apoptosis suppressor genes (Bcl-2 and survivin)and cyclin gene (Cyclin D1) were downregulated (P<0.05). The mRNA expression of pro-apoptosis gene (Bax) and cyclin gene (C-myc) were upregulated (P<0.05)., Conclusion: It suggested that PQ can activate Wnt pathway to regulate downsteam genes expression, resulting in PC12 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

This article discusses a case of pseudomyogenic hemangioendothelioma (PHE), a type of vascular tumor, with a specific gene fusion called EGFL7:FOSB. The first case of PHE with this fusion showed widespread metastasis, while the second case presented with a more typical clinical presentation without evidence of distant tumors or metastasis. The article explores the variations in PHE, including tumor size, location, and involvement of different tissues. The authors also discuss the potential role of the EGFL7:FOSB fusion and other genomic alterations in the clinical outcome of PHE, including distant metastasis. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: This study was designed to observe the expression of important hedgehog (Hh) signal factors in the bone tissue of rats with chronic fluorosis and cultured osteoblasts in order to investigate the role and significance of the Hh signal in fluoride-induced bone injury. Methods: Healthy Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups: the control group, the fluorosis group (F Group), the fluoride + blocker group (F + Cycl group: rats were treated with fluoride + cyclopamine), and the fluoride + blocker control group (F + DMSO group). After 6 months of intervention, the urinary fluoride content of rats in each group was detected. The primary osteoblasts of rats were selected for cell experiment, and the experiment was carried out after the cells were passaged from the second to the fourth generation. Results: The proliferation rate of primary rat osteoblasts presented time-affected and dose-affected relationships in a short time under treatment with a low dose of sodium fluoride (NaF), but the proliferation of osteoblasts was inhibited by long-term and high-dose NaF exposure. In the F group, the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of osteoblasts increased gradually. The ALP activity was lower in the F + Cycl group than in the F group, and there was no significant difference between the F + DMSO group and F group. With the increase in fluoride exposure, the expression of Hh signal factors and osteogenic-related factor proteins increased gradually. The expressions of Indian hedgehog (Ihh), smoothened (Smo), Glioma-associated oncogene homolog (Gli) 2, and Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2)in the F + Cycl group increased with the dose of fluoride but they were significantly inhibited compared with the F group. Compared with the control group, the content of urinary fluoride in the F group was significantly higher (P < 0.05), but there was no significant change in urinary fluoride content in the F + Cycl group and the F + DMSO group. Compared with the control group, the serum bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP) contents of rats in the other groups increased after 6 months' intake of fluoride water (P < 0.05). After drug blocking, the serum BALP content in the F + Cycl group was lower than that in the F + DMSO group (P < 0.05). The BALP content in the F + DMSO group was similar to that in the F group: it did not decrease. The mRNA expressions of Ihh, Smo, Gli2, and Runx2 in bone tissue of the F group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). After cyclopamine blocking, the expressions decreased (P < 0.05), but the differences between the F + DMSO group and F group were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Hh signal plays an important role in fluoride-induced bone injury. The effective inhibition of cyclopamine is expected to be a new target for the treatment of skeletal damage caused by fluorosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer initiation is closely associated with cytokines that can change the inflammatory tumor microenvironment. Compounds extracted from plants have been explored for the possibility of cancer treatment in the recent decades. Berberine is an isoquinoline plant alkaloid with remarkable antioxidant and anti-inflammation roles, which is used in ethnic medicines, including traditional Chinese and North American medicine. In the present study, we investigated the effects of berberine on the malignant tumor cell behaviors in a breast cell line, MDA-MB-231. We found that berberine could not influence the cell viability in normal condition but was able to decrease the cancer cell migration capability in a scratch wound model and accordingly prolong the wound healing time. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that berberine inhibited the increased phosphorylation of c-Jun and c-Fos in these scratched cancer cells. With the cotreatment with LPS, which could boost the expression of cytokines in these cancer cells, berberine significantly reduced the increased expression of TNF-α and IL-6. Meanwhile, we found that berberine inhibited the activation of NF-κB by preventing the degradation of IκBα. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the disposability of somatic tissue, selection can favor a higher mutation rate in the early segregating soma than in germline, as seen in some animals. Although in plants intra-organismic mutation rate heterogeneity is poorly resolved, the same selectionist logic can predict a lower rate in shoot than in root and in longer-lived terminal tissues (e.g., leaves) than in ontogenetically similar short-lived ones (e.g., petals), and that mutation rate heterogeneity should be deterministic with no significant differences between biological replicates. To address these expectations, we sequenced 754 genomes from various tissues of eight plant species. Consistent with a selectionist model, the rate of mutation accumulation per unit time in shoot apical meristem is lower than that in root apical tissues in perennials, in which a high proportion of mutations in shoots are themselves transmissible, but not in annuals, in which somatic mutations tend not to be transmissible. Similarly, the number of mutations accumulated in leaves is commonly lower than that within a petal of the same plant, and there is no more heterogeneity in accumulation rates between replicate branches than expected by chance. High mutation accumulation in runners of strawberry is, we argue, the exception that proves the rule, as mutation transmission patterns indicate that runner has a restricted germline. However, we also find that in vitro callus tissue has a higher mutation rate (per unit time) than the wild-grown comparator, suggesting nonadaptive mutational “fragility”. As mutational fragility does not obviously explain why the shoot—root difference varies with plant longevity, we conclude that some mutation rate variation between tissues is consistent with selectionist theory but that a mechanistic null of mutational fragility should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Y. lipolytica significantly controlled decay caused by P. rubens of grapes. • Y. lipolytica significantly reduced OTA content produced by P. rubens of grapes. • Spore germination and germ tube length of P. rubens were inhibited by Y. lipolytica. • PPO, POD, PAL, APX, GLU and CAT activities of grapes were induced by Y. lipolytica. • The expression levels of defense-related genes were up-regulated by Y. lipolytica. Abstract Table grapes are one of the most common fruits throughout the world. Decay of grapes caused by pathogenic fungal infections results in tremendous economic losses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Yarrowia lipolytica on the control of postharvest decay of grapes caused by Penicillium rubens and the possible mechanisms involved. The results showed that Y. lipolytica provided significant inhibition of the postharvest decay of grapes by P. rubens compared with the control. When the concentration of Y. lipolytica was 1 × 109 cells/mL, decay incidence and decay diameter of grapes were 12.45% and 6.19 mm, respectively. Y. lipolytica reduced spore germination and germ tube length of P. rubens. Moreover, the results also showed that the activities of defense-related enzymes, including polyphenoloxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), phenylalanine ammonialyase (PAL), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and β-1,3 glucanase (GLU),were significantly enhanced in grapes treated with Y. lipolytica. Similarly, the expression levels of these genes were also increased in grape fruits treated with Y. lipolytica. The results suggested that the possible resistance mechanism of Y. lipolytica was to enhance the defense-related enzymes and genes, ultimately reduce postharvest decay caused by P. rubens in grapes. Altogether, the research work confirmed that Y. lipolytica has potential biocontrol efficacy and could be used as a biocontrol agent to prevent the postharvest decay of grape fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND RNA interference combined with digital gene expression ( DGE) analysis can be used to study gene function. Trehalose-6-phosphate synthase ( TPS) plays a key role in the synthesis of trehalose and insect development. RESULTS DGE analysis revealed that the expression of nine or four chitinase genes was reduced significantly 48 h after NlTPS1 and NlTPS2 knockdown by RNAi, respectively. Additionally, abnormal phenotypes were noted, and approximately 30% of insects died. HK and G6PI2 expression decreased significantly whereas GFAT, GNPNA and UAP expression increased significantly 72 h after NlTPS1 and NlTPS2 knockdown. PGM1 expression decreased significantly after TPS2 knockdown, whereas PGM2 expression increased significantly and the expression of three CHS genes decreased 48 h after TPS1 knockdown. The mRNA expression of all 12 chitin degradation genes decreased 48 h after NlTPS1 and NlTPS2 treatment, and Cht2, Cht3, Cht6, Cht7, Cht10 and ENGase levels remained significantly decreased up to 72 h after NlTPS1 and NlTPS2 knockdown. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that silencing of TPS genes can lead to increased moulting deformities and mortality rates owing to the misregulation of genes involved in chitin metabolism, and TPS genes are potential pest control targets in the future. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are thought to have an important role in tumor metastasis by regulating diverse cellular pathways. Here, we describe the function and regulation network of miR-206 in gastric cancer (GC) metastasis. MiR-206 expression was downregulated in GC cells especially in high metastatic potential cells and was also significantly decreased in metastatic lesions compared with their corresponding primary tumor samples. Both gain- and loss-of-function studies confirmed that miR-206 significantly suppressed GC cell invasion and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, paired box gene 3 (PAX3) was identified as a functional target of miR-206 in GC cells. MiR-206 inhibited GC metastasis by negatively regulating expression of PAX3. In addition, PAX3 expression was markedly higher in GC tissues than in adjacent non-cancerous tissues. GC patients with positive PAX3 expression had shorter overall survival times. Transwell assays and in vivo metastasis assays demonstrated that overexpression of PAX3 significantly promoted the invasiveness and pulmonary metastasis of GC cells. On the other hand, downregulation of PAX3 markedly reduced cell metastatic potential. Mechanistic investigations indicated that prometastasis function of PAX3 was mediated by upregulating downstream target MET. Moreover, we found that levels of PAX3 and MET were positively correlated in matched human GC specimens, and their coexpression was associated with poor prognoses. In conclusion, our results reveal that miR-206-PAX3-MET signaling is critical to GC metastasis. Targeting the pathway described here may open new therapeutic prospects to restrict the metastatic potential of GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• GABA enhanced biocontrol efficacy of S. pararoseus Y16 to Aspergillus rot of grapes. • GABA induced PPO, POD and PAL activities of grapes treated with S. pararoseus Y16. • GABA increased flavonoids, phenolic content of grapes treated with S. pararoseus Y16. • The expression levels of PPO , POD and PAL of grapes were increased. Aspergillus tubingensis is a fungal pathogen that can cause Aspergillus rot in grapes and produces ochratoxin A. This study investigated the effect of Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on the biocontrol efficacy of Sporidiobolus pararoseus Y16 against Aspergillus rot in postharvest grapes. The results showed that GABA- treated S. pararoseus Y16 had a better control effect on A. tubingensis in rot rate, rot diameter, spore germination rate, and germ tube length compared with S. pararoseus Y16 alone. After 5 d post-inoculation, the decay rates of control, S. pararoseus Y16 treated, and GABA-treated S. pararoseus Y16 were 100%, 52.78% and 16.67% in grapes, respectively. Moreover, GABA-treated S. pararoseus Y16 had a better growth rate and more stable reproduction than S. pararoseus Y16. In the growth dynamic experiment, GABA-treated S. pararoseus Y16 has a better growth rate and a more stable reproduction than S. pararoseus Y16, under both 4 °C and 20 °C. The GABA-treated S. pararoseus Y16 significantly enhanced grapes' resistance-related enzyme activities and gene expression. Importantly, GABA-treated S. pararoseus Y16 effectively increased the activities of PPO, POD, PAL and the content of total phenols and flavonoids in grapes. In conclusion, GABA could potentially improve the biocontrol efficiency of S. pararoseus Y16 against Aspergillus rot in grapes via altering the yeast's physiology and the grape's disease-resistance system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detailed characterization of the gene expression patterns in spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes is critical to understand the processes which occur prior to meiosis during normal spermatogenesis. The genome-wide expression profiles of mouse type B spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes were investigated using the Solexa/Illumina digital gene expression (DGE) system, a tag based high-throughput transcriptome sequencing method, and the developmental processes which occur during early spermatogenesis were systematically analyzed. Gene expression patterns vary significantly between mouse type B spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes. The functional analysis revealed that genes related to junction assembly, regulation of the actin cytoskeleton and pluripotency were most significantly differently expressed. Pathway analysis indicated that the Wnt non-canonical signaling pathway played a central role and interacted with the actin filament organization pathway during the development of spermatogonia. This study provides a foundation for further analysis of the gene expression patterns and signaling pathways which regulate the molecular mechanisms of early spermatogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Proliferin-related protein (PRP) was originally identified as an angiogenesis inhibitor in mouse placentas. Indeed, the tissue expression of PRP has mainly been documented in placentas. We report herein for the first time that PRP is expressed in male rat testes. Immunocytochemical and in situ hybridization results showed positive PRP immunostaining in Leydig cells. Immunofluorescent staining of PRP in the TM3 Leydig cell line indicates that PRP is located within the cytoplasm. The expression pattern of PRP in rat testis exhibited an age-related increase. HCG significantly up-regulated the level of expression of PRP in TM3 cells via the PKA pathway. To elucidate the function of PRP, experiments were conducted to examine the consequences of lentiviral-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) of PRP on testosterone production and expression of several genes involved in steroidogenesis. PRP silencing caused a decrease in HCG-stimulated testosterone production. In addition, PRP silencing attenuated the increase in PRLR mRNA following HCG stimulation. Moreover, the enhanced effect of PRL on HCG-induced testosterone production was also weakened following PRP silencing, indicating that PRP may be involved in PRL function through an effect on PRL receptor expression in response to stimuli. Taken together, these data suggest that PRP is regulated by HCG and plays roles in male reproduction, such as testosterone production. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Polygalacturonase (PG, EC 3.2.1.15) is a crucial enzyme for pectin degradation and is involved in various developmental processes such as fruit ripening, pollen development, cell expansion, and organ abscission. However, information on the PG gene family in the maize (Zea mays L.) genome and the specific members involved in maize anther development are still lacking. In this study, we identified 55 PG family genes from the maize genome and further characterized their evolutionary relationship and expression patterns. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that ZmPGs are grouped into six Clades, and gene structures of the same Clade are highly conserved, suggesting their functional conservation. The ZmPGs are randomly distributed across maize chromosomes, and collinearity analysis showed that many ZmPGs might be derived from tandem duplications and segmental duplications, and these genes are under purifying selection. Furthermore, gene expression analysis provided insights into possible functional divergence among ZmPGs. Based on the RNA-seq data analysis, we found that many ZmPGs are expressed in various tissues while 18 ZmPGs are highly expressed in maize anther, and their detailed expression profiles in different anther developmental stages were further investigated by using RT-qPCR analysis. These results provide valuable information for further functional characterization and application of the ZmPGs in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our current investigation, we evaluated the effect of Chlorella pyrenoidosa protein hydrolysate (CPPH) and Chlorella pyrenoidosa protein hydrolysate-calcium chelate (CPPH-Ca) on calcium absorption and gut microbiota composition, as well as their in vivo regulatory mechanism in SD rats fed low-calcium diets. Potent major compounds in CPPH were characterized by HPLC-MS/MS, and the calcium-binding mechanism was investigated through ultraviolet and infrared spectroscopy. Using high-throughput next-generation 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we analyzed the composition of gut microbiota in rats. Our study showed that HCPPH-Ca increased the levels of body weight gain, serum Ca, bone activity, bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC), while decreased serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and inhibited the morphological changes of bone. HCPPH-Ca up-regulated the gene expressions of transient receptor potential cation V5 (TRPV5), TRPV6, calcium-binding protein-D9k (CaBP-D9k) and a calcium pump (plasma membrane Ca-ATPase, PMCA1b). It also improved the abundances of Firmicutes and Lactobacillus. Bifidobacterium and Sutterella were both positively correlated with calcium absorption. Collectively, these findings illustrate the potential of HCPPH-Ca as an effective calcium supplement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Super‐small nanoclusters may intrinsically trigger specific molecular pathway for disease treatment in vitro/vivo. To prove the hypothesis the super‐small nanoclusters, e.g., Au clusters, are directly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in vitro/vivo. RA is a chronic autoimmune disease that is characterized by the inflammation of joints and the unreversible destruction of the cartilage/bone. Au clusters significantly suppress lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced proinflammatory mediator production in the murine macrophage cell line by inhibiting the signaling pathways that regulate the major proinflammatory mediator genes. In preclinical rat RA studies, Au clusters strongly prevent type II collagen‐induced rat RA without systemic side effects. Compared with the clinical first‐line anchored anti‐RA drug, methotrexate, Au clusters equally inhibit inflammation in vivo. Type II collagen‐induced rat RA is characterized with the destruction of cartilage/bone; treatment with Au clusters reverses the destruction of cartilage/bone to its normal state. This is because Au clusters directly inhibit receptor activator of nuclear factor‐κB ligand (RANKL)‐induced osteoclast differentiation and function through the downregulation of osteoclast‐specific genetic marker expression. However the methotrexate almost has no positive effect for this key issue in rat RA therapy. These data prove that the super‐small nanoclusters, e.g., Au clusters, could be a novel candidate nanodrug for RA treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipid metabolism disorder (LMD) is a public health issue. Spirulina platensis is a widely used natural weight-reducing agent and Spirulina platensis is a kind of protein source. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of Spirulina platensis protease hydrolyzate (SPPH) on the lipid metabolism and gut microbiota in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rats. Our study showed that SPPH decreased the levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), alanine transaminase (ALT), and aspartate transaminase (AST), but increased the level of high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) in serum and liver. Moreover, SPPH had a hypolipidemic effect as indicated by the down-regulation of sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor-1c (SREBP-1c), acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC), SREBP-1c, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) and the up-regulation of adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorα (PPARα) at the mRNA level in liver. SPPH treatment enriched the abundance of beneficial bacteria. In conclusion, our study showed that SPPH might be produce glucose metabolic benefits in rats with diet-induced LMD. The mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of SPPH on the metabolism remain to be further investigated. Collectively, the above-mentioned findings illustrate that Spirulina platensis peptides have the potential to ameliorate lipid metabolic disorders, and our data provides evidence that SPPH might be used as an adjuvant therapy and functional food in obese and diabetic individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous study demonstrated that the combined application with oligochitosan (OCH) improved the biocontrol efficacy of Pichia caribbica against postharvest black spot of tomato fruits. The involved mechanisms were elucidated based on the induction of fruit resistance. However, the mechanisms needed to be further explored from the antagonistic yeast perspective. The current study determined the effects of OCH on P. caribbica growth in vitro and the effects of combined application with OCH on the colonization ability, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, especially the gene expression levels of P. caribbica in fruit wounds. The findings revealed that OCH increased the viable cell number of P. caribbica in NYDB and in tomato fruit wounds. Additionally, combined application with OCH could alleviate ROS accumulation in P. caribbica inoculated in fruit wounds. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the genes related to MAPK signal transduction, meiosis – yeast, DNA replication, tryptophan metabolism and glutathione metabolism of P. caribbica were induced by the combined application with OCH in fruit wounds, which triggered its MAPK signal transduction, promoted its growth and reproduction, and improved its antioxidant capability. Therefore, the capability of P. caribbica to survive and colonize fruit wounds were raised and its antagonistic efficacy against postharvest black spot pathogen was heightened by combined application with OCH. This study will open up new possibilities for improving the biocontrol efficacy of antagonists against postharvest pathogens of fruits and vegetables. • OCH improved P. caribbica growth and reproduction in NYDB and in tomato wounds. • ROS accumulation in P. caribbica inoculated in fruit wounds was alleviated by OCH. • Genes related to MAPK signaling in P. caribbica were induced by OCH. • OCH up-regulated genes related to P. caribbica growth and reproduction. • The expression of antioxidant response genes in P. caribbica was heightened by OCH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that Wickerhamomyces anomalus can control postharvest diseases of fruits and incubation of the yeast with chitosan can improve its efficiency. In this study, transcriptome study was conducted to determine molecular mechanisms involved in the yeast-chitosan interaction. The bioinformatics analysis of the RNA-seq data confirmed that incubating W. anomalus with 1 % chitosan for 24 h significantly altered the expression of differential genes involved in yeast metabolic and cellular activities. Genes involved in ethyl acetate production, reactive oxygen species regulation, cell wall reinforcement, stress resistance, and signalling were all significantly up-regulated. Pathways which have significant role in the yeast growth and reproduction, energy production, cellular homeostasis, signal transduction, catalytic, and antioxidant activities were significantly enriched. In general, incubation of the yeast with chitosan genes metabolic pathways which are important for the yeast survival, adaptation, and reproduction. Molecular studies are important in providing fundamental theoretical foundation for the practical application of antagonistic yeasts for future uses. As a result, this research will be an input for use of the antagonistic yeast as microbial or biochemical pesticides instead of synthetic chemicals which have both health and environmental effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Baobab and S. pararoseus induced the defense enzymes of apples. • Baobab improved viability of S. pararoseus under oxidative stress. • S. pararoseus and AB induced defense-related relative gene expression of apples. The efficacy of antagonistic yeast Sporidiobolus pararoseus Y16 alone or in combination with baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) was studied for the expression levels of defense-related genes, oxidative stress and enzymes activity of apple fruits. The results revealed that the treatment of S. pararoseus Y16 at 1 × 108 cells/mL amended with baobab (AB) improved the enzyme activity and then increased the defense mechanism on apple fruit. Moreover, the results of the study showed that the combination of antagonistic yeast and AB led to an enhancement of the efficacy of enzymes of superoxide dismutase, polyphenol oxidase, peroxidase, catalase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase, and chitinase activity during the storage period. Furthermore, results showed baobab improved the oxidative tolerance of S. pararoseus Y16, which led to an enhancement of biocontrol activity of antagonist. The proper combination of S. pararoseus Y16 and baobab can thus provide an effective strategy to enhance the postharvest quality of fruits. Besides, gene expression levels of related-enzyme defense responses involved were used to investigate the mechanism of antagonistic yeast in response to the application of baobab in apple. The results exhibited that S. pararoseus Y16 amended with baobab had a significant effect on the induction of defense-related genes expression compared to the control. These findings showed that antagonist yeast treatments amended with baobab could be a promising method for enhancing defense mechanism of apple fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • P. caribbica combined with OCH improved resistant enzyme activity in tomato fruits. • Combined application upregulated the genes involved in α-linolenic acid metabolism. • The genes in Ca2+, MAPK and plant hormones signaling pathways were induced. • The expression levels of genes participated in ROS metabolism were enhanced. • The genes related to resistant secondary metabolite synthesis were upregulated. Our previous study showed that postharvest treatment of tomato with Pichia caribbica along with oligochitosan (OCH) significantly alleviated postharvest black spot of tomato fruit compared with P. caribbica alone. This study was to explore the effect of combined application of OCH and P. caribbica on disease resistance of tomato fruits through analyzing the activities of disease resistance-related enzymes, as well as transcriptome analysis of the fruit gene expression. Our findings indicated that P. caribbica , together with OCH, improved the activities of key enzymes associated with disease resistance in tomato fruit. Moreover, the combined application further upregulated the expression of genes involved in α-linolenic acid metabolism, the signal transduction pathways such as Ca2+, MAPK and plant hormone signaling pathways, resistant substance synthesis, and ROS metabolism, which improved the fruit disease resistance. Considering the significance of these results, OCH hold great potential for use in microbial biocontrol strategies against postharvest tomato diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the activitiesof defense-related enzymes andthose involved in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and their corresponding genes coding for PPO , APX , CHI , PAL and CAT in response to Hanseniaspora uvarum and Hanseniaspora uvarum harvested from NYDB supplemented with 2% w/v trehalose in nutrient yeast dextrose broth (NYDB) were investigated. Conventional methods and qRT-PCR were used to perform defense-related enzyme activities and relative genes expression respectively. The results indicated that H. uvarum enhanced with 2% w/v trehalose demonstrated biocontrol efficacy against Aspergillus tubingensis in grapes.Furthermore, it was noticed that H. uvarum supplemented with 2% w/v trehalose in NYDB had a significantly effect on the induction of defense-related genes expression andenzyme activities compared to the control, 2% w/v trehalose and H. uvarum after storage at 20 °C for 72 h. CAT relative gene expression level in grapes treated with H. uvarum supplemented with 2% w/v trehalose was the highest with 23-fold increase compared to the control. These results suggested that H. uvarum pretreated with trehalose up-regulatedthe defense-relatedgenes expression and enzyme activitiesin the grapes. These findings indicated that, the application of H. uvarum harvested from NYDB supplemented with 2% w/v trehalose enhanced the defense-related mechanism of grapes against A. tubingensis . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Penicillium expansum is an important postharvest pome fruit pathogen causing massive spoilage of stored fruits and high economic losses. The present study aimed to identify an essential gene of P. expansum and to investigate its effect in postharvest apple infection. Cytoscape and RNA-sequencing analysis identified a P. expansum PeBgl1 gene which was a hub gene and also upregulated expression at three key time points (1, 3, and 6 h) during apple infection. The PeBgl1 gene was 798 bp in length, encoded 265 amino acids and had high homology with glycoside hydrolase superfamily of P. expansum. The PeBgl1 gene affected the colony morphology especially the colony color and delayed fungal growth both of P. expansum both in vivo and in vitro. This gene also decreased the pathogenicity of P. expansum in apples. Based on these results, we conclude that PeBgl1 is responsible for growth and pathogenicity in P. expansum. • PeBgl1 is identified as an essential gene of P. expansum during apple infection. • PeBgl1 gene knockout delays P. expansum growth and morphology. • PeBgl1 knocked out decreased the pathogenicity of P. expansum in apple. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • High-level NIP expression was observed during P. expansum infection. • NIP was closely associated with genes related to plant CWDEs. • NIP was functionally characterized by knockout and complementation. • Δ NIP reduces sporulation and PAT accumulation via reduced mycelial production. • NIP contributes to P. expansum virulence. Penicillium expansum is the causative fungus of blue mold decay in postharvest pears resulting in substantial economic losses. Investigating P. expansum -pear fruit interactions is necessary to help develop P. expansum control strategies for effective and safe pear production. Investigating the P. expansum gene expression alterations and essential gene functions during the infection process is indispensable. Based on our results, the necrosis-inducing protein (NIP) gene was closely associated with genes related to plant cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDEs) and involved in P. expansum virulence. The NIP has high homology with other already-known fungal NIPs. To evidence the role of NIP in P. expansum virulence, NIP mutant (including knockout (Δ NIP) and complementation mutant (c NIP)) P. expansum were generated. Despite the NIP deletion did not affect the basic morphology and structure of P. expansum, it slowed down the fungal growth and hyphal production, thus reducing P. expansum 's sporulation and patulin (PAT) accumulation. Furthermore, the deletion of NIP reduced the pathogenicity of P. expansum in pear. The complementation of NIP (c NIP) restored the growth, conidia production, PAT accumulation, and virulence of Δ NIP to the level of wild-type P. expansum. In addition, PAT can cause decay and aggravate the disease severity of wild-type P. expansum and Δ NIP on pears. Our results confirmed NIP plays a crucial role in P. expansum 's growth, hyphal production, and pathogenicity in pears. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we designed a short hairpin RNA vector-based oligodeoxynucleotide (VB-ODN) carrying transcription factor (TF) consensus sequence which could function as a decoy to block TF activity. Specifically, VB-ODN for Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) could inhibit cell viability and decrease downstream gene expression in HEK293 cells without affecting expression of NF-κB itself. The specific binding between VB-ODN produced double-stranded RNA and NF-κB was evidenced by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Moreover, similar VB-ODNs designed for three other TFs also inhibit their downstream gene expression but not that of themselves. Our study provides a new design of decoy for blocking TF activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Our previous studies indicated a direct correlation with loss of CIAPIN1 and carcinogenesis of tumor in human gastric cancer. Here we presented that the expression of CIAPIN1 was absent or significantly decreased in 102 cases of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC) tissues (P <0.05). Up-regulating CIAPIN1 by adenoviral vectors exhibited significant inhibition of CCRCC-derived cell growth in vitro and in vivo with G1 cell cycle arrest. Simultaneously, CIAPIN1-induced growth suppression was found partially to regulate various proteins, including inhibition of cyclinD1, cyclinE, cdk2, cdk4, p-Rb and VEGF, but up-regulation of p27Kip1 and Rb. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Pear gene expression response to P. expansum were clustered by STEM analysis. • Functional annotation of DEGs in profiles were done by GO and KEGG enrichment. • Pears can produce a complex defense reactions after P. expansum infection. • P. expansum can increase the activities of resistant enzymes in pears. In pears, blue mold decay caused by Penicillium expansum, is a destructive postharvest disease around the world, which leads to stasis of the pear industry and creates huge economic losses. Our previous research work proved that P. expansum mainly secretes cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDEs) to infect pears. To further understand the molecular basis of P. expansum infection and disease progression, in the present study we have tried to investigate the transcriptome of pears infected with P. expansum. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified from the RNA-seq results were clustered into 2 upward trends and 6 downward trends according to their gene expression patterns. Comparison of Gene ontology (GO) terms in downward and upward trend profiles evidenced that the enriched GO terms (included metabolic processes for l -phenylalanine, aromatic amino acid family and ethylene, etc.), found in upward trend profiles were more relevant to pear defense. Moreover, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) results revealed that pears can produce a complex defense response against P. expansum infection. Briefly, P. expansum produced CWDEs to establish infection, which triggers relevant transduction pathways in pear. These pathways led to further activation of the secondary regulatory networks. Finally, some metabolites were synthesised to defense against P. expansum. In general, the information obtained in this study will be supportive to develop new strategies to control fungal diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]