A Small RNA,UdsC, Interacts with the RpoHII mRNA and Affects the Motility and Stress Resistance of Rhodobacter sphaeroides

sRNAs have an important role in the regulation of bacterial gene expression. The sRNA, UdsC, of Rhodobacter sphaeroides is derived from the 3′ UTR of the RSP_7527 mRNA, which encodes a hypothetical protein. Here, we showed the effect of UdsC on the resistance of Rhodobacter sphaeroides to hydrogen peroxide and on its motility. In vitro binding assays supported the direct interaction of UdsC with the 5′ UTR of the rpoHII mRNA. RpoHII is an alternative sigma factor with an important role in stress responses in R. sphaeroides, including its response to hydrogen peroxide. We also demonstrated that RpoHII controls the expression of the torF gene, which encodes an important regulator of motility genes. This strongly suggested that the observed effect of UdsC on TorF expression is indirect and mediated by RpoHII.     

A Preliminary Study of the Effect of Quercetin on Cytotoxicity,Apoptosis, and Stress Responses in Glioblastoma Cell Lines

A growing body of evidence indicates that dietary polyphenols show protective effects against various cancers. However, little is known yet about their activity in brain tumors. Here we investigated the interaction of dietary flavonoid quercetin (QCT) with the human glioblastoma A172 and LBC3 cell lines. We demonstrated that QCT evoked cytotoxic effect in both tested cell lines. Microscopic observations, Annexin V-FITC/PI staining, and elevated expression and activity of caspase 3/7 showed that QCT caused predominantly apoptotic death of A172 cells. Further analyses confirmed enhanced ROS generation, deregulated expression of SOD1 and SOD2, depletion of ATP levels, and an overexpression of CHOP, suggesting the activation of oxidative stress and ER stress upon QCT exposure. Finally, elevated expression and activity of caspase 9, indicative of a mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis, was detected. Conversely, in LBC3 cells the pro-apoptotic effect was observed only after 24 h incubation with QCT, and a shift towards necrotic cell death was observed after 48 h of treatment. Altogether, our data indicate that exposure to QCT evoked cell death via activation of intrinsic pathway of apoptosis in A172 cells. These findings suggest that QCT is worth further investigation as a potential pharmacological agent in therapy of brain tumors.     

Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of PIN-FORMED (PIN) Gene Family Reveals Role in Developmental and Various Stress Conditions in Triticum aestivum L.

PIN-FORMED (PIN) genes play a crucial role in regulating polar auxin distribution in diverse developmental processes, including tropic responses, embryogenesis, tissue differentiation, and organogenesis. However, the role of PIN-mediated auxin transport in various plant species is poorly understood. Currently, no information is available about this gene family in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). In the present investigation, we identified the PIN gene family in wheat to understand the evolution of PIN-mediated auxin transport and its role in various developmental processes and under different biotic and abiotic stress conditions. In this study, we performed genome-wide analysis of the PIN gene family in common wheat and identified 44 TaPIN genes through a homology search, further characterizing them to understand their structure, function, and distribution across various tissues. Phylogenetic analyses led to the classification of TaPIN genes into seven different groups, providing evidence of an evolutionary relationship with Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa. A gene exon/intron structure analysis showed a distinct evolutionary path and predicted the possible gene duplication events. Further, the physical and biochemical properties, conserved motifs, chromosomal, subcellular localization, transmembrane domains, and three-dimensional (3D) structure were also examined using various computational approaches. Cis-elements analysis of TaPIN genes showed that TaPIN promoters consist of phytohormone, plant growth and development, and stress-related cis-elements. In addition, expression profile analysis also revealed that the expression patterns of the TaPIN genes were different in different tissues and developmental stages. Several members of the TaPIN family were induced during biotic and abiotic stress. Moreover, the expression patterns of TaPIN genes were verified by qRT-PCR. The qRT-PCR results also show a similar expression with slight variation. Therefore, the outcome of this study provides basic genomic information on the expression of the TaPIN gene family and will pave the way for dissecting the precise role of TaPINs in plant developmental processes and different stress conditions.     

A Stress Singularity Approach for the Prediction of Fatigue Crack Initiation in Adhesive Bonds. Part 1: Theory

Since crack initiation in adhesive bonds tends to occur near the interface corners where the stress fields are singular, we define a fatigue initiation criterion using stress singularity parameter, Q (a generalized stress intensity factor) and the singular eigenvalue, λ.

Hattori et al., successfully used a generalized stress intensity factor to characterize the static strength of bimaterial interfaces. We show that this criterion is only appropriate for situations in which the adhesive contact angle is no larger than 90° and the modulus ratio (adhesive to adherend) is smaller than 0.1. Fortunately, these conditions are often met in real joints, permitting the use of a single eigenvalue approach. We then extend this criterion to the case of fatigue arising from mechanical, thermal, or hygroscopic cycling.

In preparation for Part 2 (experimental), the special case of an epoxy wedge on a flat aluminum substrate is considered. The singularity is analyzed both analytically and numerically. The scale of the region dominated by the singularity is found to be of the order of 100 μm. The size of the plastically yielded zone near the apex is found to decrease extremely rapidly as the stress intensity factor goes down, thereby increasing the applicability of the method at the low stress levels often encountered in fatigue.     

A Stress Singularity Approach for the Prediction of Fatigue Crack Initiation in Adhesive Bonds. Part 2: Experimental

Using the epoxy-aluminum wedge specimens defined and analyzed in Part 1, we measure the number of cycles required to initiate an interfacial fatigue crack near the apex, where the stress field is predicted to be singular. The eigenvalue, λ, and the generalized stress intensity factor, Q, are varied via the wedge angle, and via the beam deflection, respectively. Crack initiation is detected using a strain gage bonded near the tip of the wedge.

Following the methodology developed in Part 1, the fatigue data are then used to construct a fatigue initiation criterion characteristic of the bimaterial interface. This criterion is a 3-D surface, with the ordinate representing the generalized stress intensity factor and the two horizontal axes representing the number of cycles to initiation and the eigenvalue, respectively. Three key assumptions of the model are found to be satisfied in the specimens tested herein: (1) geometric imperfections at the apex are smaller than the singular region, (2) the plastic zones near the apex are also smaller than the singular region, and (3) the locus of initiation is near interfacial.

Finally, a thermomechanical analysis indicates that the residual thermal stresses generated during the fabrication process make a significant contribution to the critical stress intensity factor. With high T_g adhesives and under unfavorable conditions (high modulus, high CTE, poor adhesion), we predict that the residual stresses alone could be sufficient to cause debond initiation.     

供水管网水样R2 A培养基细菌总数测定及其影响因素探究

满足饮用水卫生标准的城市给水处理厂净水在输送过程中受到污染,致使管网水中细菌的重新生长和繁殖,从而导致饮用水水质存在安全隐患。以南方某城市管网为研究对象,运用ExpAssoc模型对管网水中细菌菌落总数与细菌出现概率进行模拟,并探讨了管网水的温度、浊度、余氯三个常规指标与水样细菌总数之间的关系。结果表明ExpAssoc模型可以较好地模拟管网水中细菌菌落总数和细菌出现概率的关系,相关系数R2均大于0.97。水温与管网水细菌菌落总数呈正相关关系;管网水高浊度与细菌出现频率亦存在正相关性。余氯对管网水细菌存在水平确实存在影响,当余氯量小于1.0 mg／L时,细菌出现率为100％;当余氯量大于1.0 mg／L时,细菌的出现与余氯值并不相关,呈随机分布状态。     

Genome-Wide Identification of SnRK1 Catalytic α Subunit and FLZ Proteins in Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat. Highlights Their Potential Roles in Licorice Growth and Abiotic Stress Responses

Sucrose non-fermenting-1-related protein kinase-1 (SnRK1) and its scaffolding proteins, FCS-like zinc finger proteins (FLZs), are well conserved in land plants and involved in various processes of plant growth and stress responses. Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat. is a widely used licorice species with strong abiotic stress resistance, in which terpenoids and flavonoids are the major bioactive components. Here, we identified 2 SnRK1 catalytic α subunit encoding genes (GiSnRK1α1 and GiSnRK1α2) and 21 FLZ genes in G. inflata. Polygenetic analysis showed that the 21 GiFLZs could be divided into three groups. A total of 10 representative GiFLZ proteins interact with GiSnRK1α1, and they display overlapped subcellular localization (mainly in the nucleus and the cytoplasm) when transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana leaf cells. Coinciding with the existence of various phytohormone-responsive and stress-responsive cis-regulatory elements in the GiSnRK1α and GiFLZ gene promoters, GiFLZs are actively responsive to methyl jasmonic acid (MeJA) and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments, and several GiFLZs and GiSnRK1α1 are regulated by drought and saline-alkaline stresses. Interestingly, GiSnRK1α and 20 of 21 GiFLZs (except for GiFLZ2) show higher expression in the roots than in the leaves. These data provide comprehensive information on the SnRK1 catalytic α subunit and the FLZ proteins in licorice for future functional characterization.