Parallel Gene Loss and Acquisition Among Strains of Different Brucella Species and Biovars

Zhijun Zhong,Yufei Wang,Jie Xu,Yanfen Chen,Yuehua Ke,Xiaoyan Zhou,Xitong Yuan,Dongsheng Zhou,Yi Yang,Ruifu Yang,Guangneng Peng,Hai Jiang,Jing Yuan,Hongbin Song,Buyun Cui,Liuyu Huang,Zeliang Chen 한국미생물학회 2012 The journal of microbiology Vol.50 No.4

The genus Brucella is divided into six species; of these, B. melitensis and B. abortus are pathogenic to humans, and B. ovis and B. neotomae are nonpathogenic to humans. The definition of gene loss and acquisition is essential for understanding Brucella’s ecology, evolutionary history, and host relationships. A DNA microarray containing unique genes of B. melitensis Type strain 16MT and B. abortus 9-941 was constructed and used to determine the gene contents of the representative strains of Brucella. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred from sequences of housekeeping genes. Gene loss and acquisition of different Brucella species were inferred. A total of 214 genes were found to be differentially distributed,and 173 of them were clustered into 15 genomic islands (GIs). Evidence of horizontal gene transfer was observed for 10GIs. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the 19 strains formed five clades, and some of the GIs had been lost or acquired independently among the different lineages. The derivation of Brucella lineages is concomitant with the parallel loss or acquisition of GIs, indicating a complex interaction between various Brucella species and hosts.

Effect of reduced energy density of close-up diets on metabolites, lipolysis and gluconeogenesis in Holstein cows

Wenming Huang,Libin Wang,ShengLi Li,ZhiJun Cao 아세아·태평양축산학회 2019 Animal Bioscience Vol.32 No.5

Objective: An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of reduced energy density of close-up diets on metabolites, lipolysis and gluconeogenesis in cows during the transition period. Methods: Thirty-nine Holstein dry cows were blocked and assigned randomly to three groups, fed a high energy density diet (HD, 1.62 Mcal of net energy for lactation [NEL]/kg dry matter [DM]), a medium energy density diet (MD, 1.47 Mcal NEL/kg DM), or a low energy density diet (LD, 1.30 Mcal NEL/kg DM) prepartum; they were fed the same lactation diet to 28 days in milk (DIM). All the cows were housed in a free-stall barn and fed ad libitum. Results: The reduced energy density diets decreased the blood insulin concentration and increased nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) concentration in the prepartum period (p<0.05). They also increased the concentrations of glucose, insulin and glucagon, and decreased the concentrations of NEFA and β-hydroxybutyrate during the first 2 weeks of lactation (p<0.05). The plasma urea nitrogen concentration of both prepartum and postpartum was not affected by dietary energy density (p>0.05). The dietary energy density had no effect on mRNA abundance of insulin receptors, leptin and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ in adipose tissue, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α in liver during the transition period (p>0.05). The HD cows had higher mRNA abundance of hormone-sensitive lipase at 3 DIM compared with the MD cows and LD cows (p = 0.001). The mRNA abundance of hepatic pyruvate carboxykinase at 3 DIM tended to be increased by the reduced energy density of the close-up diets (p = 0.08). Conclusion: The reduced energy density diet prepartum was effective in controlling adipose tissue mobilization and improving the capacity of hepatic gluconeogenesis postpartum.

Paeoniflorin reduces the inflammatory response of THP-1 cells by up‐regulating microRNA-124

Danyun Huang,Zhijun Li,Yue Chen,Yan Fan,Tao Yu 한국유전학회 2021 Genes & Genomics Vol.43 No.6

Background The activation of macrophages and the release of infammatory cytokines are the main reasons for the progress of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). MicroRNA (miRNA)-124 is involved in the regulation of macrophages and is a key regulator of infammation and immunity. Objective To explore whether paeoniforin (PF) regulates the biological functions of macrophages depends on miR-124. Methods RT-PCR, WB, ELISA, CCK-8 and fow cytometry were used to evaluate that PF regulated the biological functions of THP-1 cells through miR-124. Results PF signifcantly inhibited the proliferation while promotes the apoptosis of THP-1 cells, and inhibited the release of IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1βin THP-1 cells. RT-PCR results shown that PF up-regulated the expression of miR-124 in THP-1 cells. Functional recovery experiments showed that compared with the LPS+mimic-NC group, LPS+miR-124 mimic signifcantly inhibited the proliferation and the release of IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β, but promoted the apoptosis of THP-1 cells. In addition, compared with the LPS+PF+inhibitor-NC group, LPS+PF+miR-124 inhibitor signifcantly promoted the proliferation and the release of IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β, but inhibited the apoptosis of THP-1 cells. Conclusions By down-regulating miR-124, PF inhibits the proliferation and infammation of THP-1 cells, and promotes the apoptosis of THP-1 cells.

MicroRNA-217 Functions as a Tumour Suppressor Gene and Correlates with Cell Resistance to Cisplatin in Lung Cancer

Junhua Guo,Zhijun Feng,Zhi’ang Huang,Hongyan Wang,Wujie Lu 한국분자세포생물학회 2014 Molecules and cells Vol.37 No.9

MiR-217 can function as an oncogene or a tumour suppressor gene depending on cell type. However, the function of miR-217 in lung cancer remains unclear to date. This study aims to evaluate the function of miR-217 in lung cancer and investigate its effect on the sensitivity of lung cancer cells to cisplatin. The expression of miR-217 was detected in 100 patients by real-time PCR. The effects of miR-217 overexpression on the proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion of SPC-A-1 and A549 cells were investigated. The target gene of miR-217 was predicted by Targetscan online software, screened by dual luciferase reporter gene assay and demonstrated by Western blot. Finally, the effects of miR-217 up-regulation on the sensitivity of A549 cells to cisplatin were determined. The expression of miR-217 was significantly lower in lung cancer tissues than in noncancerous tissues (p < 0.001). The overexpression of miR-217 significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion as well as promoted the apoptosis of lung cancer cells by targeting KRAS. The up-regulation of miR-217 enhanced the sensitivity of SPC-A-1 and A549 cells to cisplatin. In conclusion, miR-217 suppresses tumour development in lung cancer by targeting KRAS and enhances cell sensitivity to cisplatin. Our results encourage researchers to use cisplatin in combination with miR-217 to treat lung cancer. This regime might lead to low-dose cisplatin application and cisplatin side-effect reduction.

Estimation of splitting tensile strength of modified recycled aggregate concrete using hybrid algorithms

Yirong Zhu,Lihua Huang,Zhijun Zhang,Behzad Bayrami 국제구조공학회 2022 Steel and Composite Structures, An International J Vol.44 No.3

Recycling concrete construction waste is an encouraging step toward green and sustainable building. A lot of research has been done on recycled aggregate concretes ( s), but not nearly as much has been done on concrete made with recycled aggregate. Recycled aggregate concrete, on the other hand, has been found to have a lower mechanical productivity compared to conventional one. Accurately estimating the mechanical behavior of the concrete samples is a most important scientific topic in civil, structural, and construction engineering. This may prevent the need for excess time and effort and lead to economic considerations because experimental studies are often time-consuming, costly, and troublous. This study presents a comprehensive data-mining-based model for predicting the splitting tensile strength of recycled aggregate concrete modified with glass fiber and silica fume. For this purpose, first, 168 splitting tensile strength tests under different conditions have been performed in the laboratory, then based on the different conditions of each experiment, some variables are considered as input parameters to predict the splitting tensile strength. Then, three hybrid models as GWO-RF, GWO-MLP, and GWO-SVR, were utilized for this purpose. The results showed that all developed GWO-based hybrid predicting models have good agreement with measured experimental results. Significantly, the GWO-RF model has the best accuracy based on the model performance assessment criteria for training and testing data.

Larger bees facilitate the deposition of oilseed rape pollen (Brassica napus L.)

Chang Hongcai,Wei Zhijun,Liu Ran,Ding Guiling,LI-JUN WAN,Huang Jiaxing 한국응용곤충학회 2023 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.26 No.2

Oilseed rape is the third-largest source of vegetable oil and the second-largest source of protein meal in the world. Pollinators are vital in the production of oilseed rape. However, pollination efficiency could be influenced by the morphology and foraging behaviors of pollinators. To evaluate the effect of pollinator size and foraging behavior on pollination efficiency, the intertegular distances (ITDs) of five bumble bees (Bombus pyrosoma, B. lantschouensis, B. melanurus, B. sichelii and B. sibiricus) and two honey bees (Apis mellifera and A. cerana) were evaluated. Their foraging activities and single visit depositions (SVDs) on oilseed rape were observed and counted. The ITDs of bumble bees were significantly larger than honey bees (P < 0.05). The single-visit duration of A. mellifera (2.43 ± 0.06 s) was significantly longer than other bees (P < 0.05). The interval time of the A. cerana was longer than other bees (P < 0.05). Larger bees tended to deposit more pollen on stigmas at each visit than smaller bees. The interspecific ITD of bees had a positive effect on SVD (P < 0.001). There was no correlation between ITD and SVD among individuals of the same species. In conclusion, the size of bees had a positive impact on pollination efficiency. Bees with a greater ITD deposited substantially more pollen and had a significantly shorter interval between flowers. Understanding the foraging behavior and pollination efficiency of these bee species and developing habitats to support them should enable growers to achieve resilient production.

MicroRNA-217 Functions as a Tumour Suppressor Gene and Correlates with Cell Resistance to Cisplatin in Lung Cancer

Guo, Junhua,Feng, Zhijun,Huang, Zhi'ang,Wang, Hongyan,Lu, Wujie Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology 2014 Molecules and cells Vol.37 No.9

MiR-217 can function as an oncogene or a tumour suppressor gene depending on cell type. However, the function of miR-217 in lung cancer remains unclear to date. This study aims to evaluate the function of miR-217 in lung cancer and investigate its effect on the sensitivity of lung cancer cells to cisplatin. The expression of miR-217 was detected in 100 patients by real-time PCR. The effects of miR-217 overexpression on the proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion of SPC-A-1 and A549 cells were investigated. The target gene of miR-217 was predicted by Targetscan online software, screened by dual luciferase reporter gene assay and demonstrated by Western blot. Finally, the effects of miR-217 up-regulation on the sensitivity of A549 cells to cisplatin were determined. The expression of miR-217 was significantly lower in lung cancer tissues than in noncancerous tissues (p < 0.001). The overexpression of miR-217 significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion as well as promoted the apoptosis of lung cancer cells by targeting KRAS. The up-regulation of miR-217 enhanced the sensitivity of SPC-A-1 and A549 cells to cisplatin. In conclusion, miR-217 suppresses tumour development in lung cancer by targeting KRAS and enhances cell sensitivity to cisplatin. Our results encourage researchers to use cisplatin in combination with miR-217 to treat lung cancer. This regime might lead to low-dose cisplatin application and cisplatin side-effect reduction.

Effects of β Air Cooling and Subsequent Cold Rolling on Microstructure and Hardness of Zr702 Sheet

Haotian Guan,Lingguo Zeng,Zhijun Li,Linjiang Chai,Yufan Zhu,Yueyuan Wang,Qin Huang,Ke Chen,Liang‑yu Chen,Ning Guo 대한금속·재료학회 2021 METALS AND MATERIALS International Vol.27 No.2

In this work, a Zr702 sheet was subjected to β air cooling and then rolled to 15% reduction at room temperature, with theirdetailed microstructural characteristics characterized by electron channeling contrast imaging and electron backscatterdiffraction techniques. Results show that after the β air cooling, the prior equiaxed grains in the as-received material arecompletely transformed into Widmanstätten structures featured by coarse plates with typical phase transformation misorientationsbetween them. The subsequent 15% rolling allows both slip and twinning (especially the {10–12} type) to beactivated readily, leading to significant grain refinement and the appearance of misorientation angle peaks around 3°–5° and85°. Analyses on kernel average misorientations reveal that there exist very low residual strains in the β-air-cooled specimenwhile they are markedly increased after the 15% rolling and preferably distributed near low-angle and twin boundaries. Hardnessmeasurements show that the specimen hardness is evidently decreased from ~ 199 to ~ 170 HV after the β air cooling,which can be attributed to grain coarsening and the scattered orientations associated with the slow β → α transformation. For the 15%-rolled specimen, however, effective grain refinement by twinning and denser low-angle boundaries jointly leadto ~ 35% hardness increment to ~ 228 HV.

Design of a compact long-stroke high-precision rigid-flexible coupling motion stage driven by linear motor

Liyun Su,Guanxin Huang,Ruirui Huang,Zhijun Yang 대한기계학회 2022 JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.36 No.12

This paper proposes a long-stroke rigid-flexible coupling motion stage (RFCMS) that employs flexure hinges to compensate the friction dead zone through elastic deformation. Specifically, based on the need for a motion stage with a compact structure, this paper proposes a new rigid-flexible coupling structure (RFCS) design with a horizontally installed linear motor and asymmetric flexure hinges. Further, end leaf springs are introduced to enhance the stiffness in the non-motion direction. In addition, the nonlinear interior-point optimization method is used to obtain the optimal structural parameters of the flexure hinges for higher deformation uniformity. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed design, a motion stage benchmarked with Aerotech's PRO190LM (stroke, 500 mm) is developed, which realizes bidirectional repeatability (BR) of ±0.25 μm. The BR is improved by 37.5 %. Moreover, the deformation uniformity of the stage is ±3.7 %, which proves that the proposed RFCMS can achieve high deformation uniformity and high precision.

Expression and Imprinting Analysis of AK044800, a Transcript from the Dlk1-Dio3 Imprinted Gene Cluster during Mouse Embryogenesis

Zhengbin Han,Qiong Wu,Qi Liu,Zhijun Huang,Wei Cui,Yijun Tian,Weili Yan 한국분자세포생물학회 2013 Molecules and cells Vol.35 No.4

Recent advances of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has demonstrated that full development potential is closely related with the expression state of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) of the Dlk1-Dio3 imprinted gene cluster. However, few of them, especially the long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), have been characterized in detail. AK044800 is a transcript from the Dlk1-Dio3 imprinted region with little known information. This study reports original data on the expression pattern of AK044800 during embryogenesis. Expression analysis showed that AK044800 was specifically expressed in the brain at mid-gestation, E9.5 and E11.5. And at E15.5, its expression was mainly concentrated in the forebrain. In the late-gestation stage (E18.5), AK044800 expression was weaker in the brain and began to emerge in some other tissues during this period. Notably, the expression of AK044800 was biallelic in the brain, unlike other noncoding transcripts from this imprinted region. In addition, its expression was dependent on inbred mouse strains. This may be the first lncRNA that has been identified with a different expression between inbred mouse strains. This study may provide useful clues for further investigations of expression regulation and func-tions of lncRNAs of the Dlk1-Dio3 imprinted region.