ThSCSP_12: Novel Effector in Tilletia horrida That Induces Cell Death and Defense Responses in Non-Host Plants

The basidiomycete fungus Tilletia horrida causes rice kernel smut (RKS), a crucial disease afflicting hybrid-rice-growing areas worldwide, which results in significant economic losses. However, few studies have investigated the pathogenic mechanisms and functions of effectors in T. horrida. In this study, we found that the candidate effector ThSCSP_12 caused cell necrosis in the leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana. The predicted signal peptide (SP) of this protein has a secreting function, which is required for ThSCSP_12 to induce cell death. The 1- 189 amino acid (aa) sequences of ThSCSP_12 are sufficient to confer it the ability to trigger cell death in N. benthamiana. The expression of ThSCSP_12 was induced and up-regulated during T. horrida infection. In addition, we also found that ThSCSP_12 localized in both the cytoplasm and nucleus of plant cells and that nuclear localization of this protein is required to induce cell death. Furthermore, the ability of ThSCSP_12 to trigger cell death in N. benthamiana depends on the (RAR1) protein required for Mla12 resistance but not on the suppressor of the G2 allele of Skp1 (SGT1), heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), or somatic embryogenesis receptor-like kinase (SERK3). Crucially, however, ThSCSP_12 induced a defense response in N. benthamiana leaves; yet, the expression of multiple defense-related genes was suppressed in response to heterologous expression in host plants. To sum up, these results strongly suggest that ThSCSP_12 operates as an effector in T. horrida–host interactions.     

LNG空温式气化器传热问题的研究进展

空温式气化器在运行过程中的传热恶化问题有可能会带来灾难性的后果,是液化天然气再气化过程中必须要重视和解决的难题。为此,在全面回顾和总结空温式气化器传热问题研究成果及现状的基础上,重点阐述了管内流动沸腾传热特点及其传热系数关联式的发展,分析了管外结霜过程及其对空温式气化器换热性能的影响,对当前气化器研究所面临的问题进行了梳理和总结,并对进一步解决传热恶化问题的研究方向进行了展望。研究结果表明:①以甲烷为主的多组分烷烃混合有机物的管内流动沸腾是未来的研究难点;②对于LNG竖直管内的流动沸腾试验还需要开展更加深入的研究,除了热流密度、干度、质量流量以外,还应包括入口压力、管径、管长以及内壁面粗糙度的影响;③管外结霜是造成气化器传热恶化的主要原因;④完善低温表面抑霜技术是改善气化器传热恶化的重点,对于空温式气化器设计、制造以及运行均具有普遍的理论指导意义;⑤疏水材料的抑霜除霜剂比亲水材料的抑霜除霜剂更加适用于空温式气化器。结论认为,该研究成果有助于破解空温式气化器传热恶化难题。     

Role of Acrostyle Cuticular Proteins in the Retention of an Aphid Salivary Effector

To avoid the activation of plant defenses and ensure sustained feeding, aphids are assumed to use their mouthparts to deliver effectors into plant cells. A recent study has shown that effectors detected near feeding sites are differentially distributed in plant tissues. However, the precise process of effector delivery into specific plant compartments is unknown. The acrostyle, a cuticular organ located at the tip of maxillary stylets that transiently binds plant viruses via its stylin proteins, may participate in this specific delivery process. Here, we demonstrate that Mp10, a saliva effector released into the plant cytoplasm during aphid probing, binds to the acrostyles of Acyrthosiphon pisum and Myzus persicae. The effector probably interacts with Stylin-03 as a lowered Mp10-binding to the acrostyle was observed upon RNAi-mediated reduction in Stylin-03 production. In addition, Stylin-03 and Stylin-01 RNAi aphids exhibited changes in their feeding behavior as evidenced by electrical penetration graph experiments showing longer aphid probing behaviors associated with watery saliva release into the cytoplasm of plant cells. Taken together, these data demonstrate that the acrostyle also has effector binding capacity and supports its role in the delivery of aphid effectors into plant cells.     

Spatial-Controlled Coating of Pro-Angiogenic Proteins on 3D Porous Hydrogels Guides Endothelial Cell Behavior

In tissue engineering, the composition and the structural arrangement of molecular components within the extracellular matrix (ECM) determine the physical and biochemical features of a scaffold, which consequently modulate cell behavior and function. The microenvironment of the ECM plays a fundamental role in regulating angiogenesis. Numerous strategies in tissue engineering have attempted to control the spatial cues mimicking in vivo angiogenesis by using simplified systems. The aim of this study was to develop 3D porous crosslinked hydrogels with different spatial presentation of pro-angiogenic molecules to guide endothelial cell (EC) behavior. Hydrogels with pores and preformed microchannels were made with pharmaceutical-grade pullulan and dextran and functionalized with novel pro-angiogenic protein polymers (Caf1-YIGSR and Caf1-VEGF). Hydrogel functionalization was achieved by electrostatic interactions via incorporation of diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)–dextran. Spatial-controlled coating of hydrogels was realized through a combination of freeze-drying and physical absorption with Caf1 molecules. Cells in functionalized scaffolds survived, adhered, and proliferated over seven days. When incorporated alone, Caf1-YIGSR mainly induced cell adhesion and proliferation, whereas Caf1-VEGF promoted cell migration and sprouting. Most importantly, directed cell migration required the presence of both proteins in the microchannel and in the pores, highlighting the need for an adhesive substrate provided by Caf1-YIGSR for Caf1-VEGF to be effective. This study demonstrates the ability to guide EC behavior through spatial control of pro-angiogenic cues for the study of pro-angiogenic signals in 3D and to develop pro-angiogenic implantable materials.     

The Mechanism of Selective Recognition of Lipid Substrate by hDHHC20 Enzyme

S-acylation is a post-translational linkage of long chain fatty acids to cysteines, playing a key role in normal physiology and disease. In human cells, the reaction is catalyzed by a family of 23 membrane DHHC-acyltransferases (carrying an Asp-His-His-Cys catalytic motif) in two stages: (1) acyl-CoA-mediated autoacylation of the enzyme; and (2) further transfer of the acyl chain to a protein substrate. Despite the availability of a 3D-structure of human acyltransferase (hDHHC20), the molecular aspects of lipid selectivity of DHHC-acyltransferases remain unclear. In this paper, using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we studied membrane-bound hDHHC20 right before the acylation by C12-, C14-, C16-, C18-, and C20-CoA substrates. We found that: (1) regardless of the chain length, its terminal methyl group always reaches the “ceiling” of the enzyme’s cavity; (2) only for C16, an optimal “reactivity” (assessed by a simple geometric criterion) permits the autoacylation; (3) in MD, some key interactions between an acyl-CoA and a protein differ from those in the reference crystal structure of the C16-CoA-hDHHS20 mutant complex (probably, because this structure corresponds to a non-native dimer). These features of specific recognition of full-size acyl-CoA substrates support our previous hypothesis of “geometric and physicochemical selectivity” derived for simplified acyl-CoA analogues.     

配合物[Mn(phen)(H2O)4]·SO4·2H2O的合成、晶体结构和表征

合成了标题配合物[Mn(phen)(H2O)4].SO4.2H2O,并对其进行了元素分析、红外光谱、紫外光谱等研究.X射线单晶衍射研究表明该配合物属正交晶系,空间群Pbca;晶胞参数:a=8.880 7(6)nm,b=18.517 3(12)nm,c=22.115 4(14)nm,β=90,°V=3 636.84 nm3,Z=8,密度Dc=1.605 mg/m3,吸收校正μ=0.895 mm-1,F(000)=1 816,测量温度为T=298(2)K,最终偏差因子分别为R1=0.046 7和ωR2=0.131 1.晶体结构表明,每个Mn(II)原子与来自邻二氮菲的2个氮原子和4个溶剂水分子的氧原子配位,形成畸变的八面体结构.该配合物通过分子间的弱相互作用形成了一个三维网状结构.     

高性能单向导湿织物的制备研究

单向导湿织物因在提高织物热湿舒适性方面具有潜在的应用前景而受到人们的关注.文中分别利用印花法和喷淋法在棉织物单侧进行不连续的疏水整理制备了单向导湿织物,探讨了印花法的不同整理面积、不同整理图案对单向导湿性能的影响,并将印花法和喷淋法得到的织物进行对比,使用液态水分管理测试仪(MMT)对其单向导湿性能进行测试.结果 表明...     

Structure-Functional Characteristics of the Svx Protein—The Virulence Factor of the Phytopathogenic Bacterium Pectobacterium atrosepticum

The Svx proteins are virulence factors of phytopathogenic bacteria of the Pectobacterium genus. The specific functions of these proteins are unknown. Here we show that most of the phytopathogenic species of Pectobacterium, Dickeya, and Xanthomonas genera have genes encoding Svx proteins, as well as some plant-non-associated species of different bacterial genera. As such, the Svx-like proteins of phytopathogenic species form a distinct clade, pointing to the directed evolution of these proteins to provide effective interactions with plants. To get a better insight into the structure and functions of the Svx proteins, we analyzed the Svx of Pectobacterium atrosepticum (Pba)—an extracellular virulence factor secreted into the host plant cell wall (PCW). Using in silico analyses and by obtaining and analyzing the recombinant Pba Svx and its mutant forms, we showed that this protein was a gluzincin metallopeptidase. The 3D structure model of the Pba Svx was built and benchmarked against the experimental overall secondary structure content. Structure-based substrate specificity analysis using molecular docking revealed that the Pba Svx substrate-binding pocket might accept α-glycosylated proteins represented in the PCW by extensins—proteins that strengthen the PCW. Thus, these results elucidate the way in which the Pba Svx may contribute to the Pba virulence.