Discovery of Tetrazolamide-benzimidazol-2-ones as Novel 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate Dioxygenase Inhibitors.

4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD, EC 1.13.11.

A Chromosome-level Reference Genome of African Oil Palm Provides Insights into Its Divergence and Stress Adaptation.

The palm family (Arecaceae), consisting of ∼ 2600 species, is the third most economically important family of plants. The African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is one of the most important palms. However, the genome sequences of palms that are currently available are still limited and fragmented.

Long non-coding RNA ERVK13-1 aggravates osteosarcoma through the involvement of microRNA-873-5p/KLF5 axis.

Objective: To explore the effect and mechanism of long noncoding RNA ERVK13-1 on osteosarcoma (OS) cell development by regulation of miR-873-5p/KLF5 axis.

Methods: The expression of ERVK13-1 in the collected tissue was detected by RT-qPCR, and then the relationship between ERVK13-1 expression and clinical characteristics of OS patients was analyzed. After OS cell lines were transfected with miR-873-5p inhibitor, si-ERVK13-1, si-KLF5 or their negative controls, the expression of ERVK13-1, miR-873-5p, and KLF5 in OS cell lines were measured, followed by determination of their effects on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities.

Transposon-induced epigenetic silencing in the X chromosome as a novel form of dmrt1 expression regulation during sex determination in the fighting fish.

Background: Fishes are the one of the most diverse groups of animals with respect to their modes of sex determination, providing unique models for uncovering the evolutionary and molecular mechanisms underlying sex determination and reversal. Here, we have investigated how sex is determined in a species of both commercial and ecological importance, the Siamese fighting fish Betta splendens.

Results: We conducted association mapping on four commercial and two wild populations of B.

The efficacy and safety of Xianling Gubao capsules in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: A protocol for a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial.

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a chronic degenerative joint disease, which is the most common type of osteoarthritis. The clinical manifestations are pain, swelling, and dysfunction of the knee joint, which seriously reduces the quality of life of patients and causes a huge social burden. At present, western medicine mainly focuses on symptomatic treatment, such as anti-inflammatory and pain relief, joint cavity injection, joint replacement, etc.

Comparative transcriptome analysis of the gills and hepatopancreas from Macrobrachium rosenbergii exposed to the heavy metal Cadmium (Cd).

Heavy metal Cadmium (Cd) pollution has become a severe environmental problem for aquatic organisms. In crustaceans, gills (Gi) and hepatopancreas (Hp) play a vital role in the toxicology. However, in Macrobrachium rosenbergill, there are few researches about gill and hepatopancreases responding to Cd stress at a molecular level.

Transcriptional changes revealed water acidification leads to the immune response and ovary maturation delay in the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis.

Nowadays, due to increasing carbon dioxide released, water acidification poses a series of serious impacts on aquatic organisms. To evaluate the effects of water acidification on crustaceans, we focused on the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis, which is a spawning migration and farmed species in China. Based on histological and oocyte transparent liquid observation, we found that the acidified environment significantly delayed the ovarian maturation of E.

Genomic Basis of Striking Fin Shapes and Colors in the Fighting Fish.

Resolving the genomic basis underlying phenotypic variations is a question of great importance in evolutionary biology. However, understanding how genotypes determine the phenotypes is still challenging. Centuries of artificial selective breeding for beauty and aggression resulted in a plethora of colors, long-fin varieties, and hyper-aggressive behavior in the air-breathing Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens), supplying an excellent system for studying the genomic basis of phenotypic variations.

Genes, pathways and networks responding to drought stress in oil palm roots.

Oil palm is the most productive oilseed crop and its oil yield is seriously affected by frequent drought stress. However, little is known about the molecular responses of oil palm to drought stress. We studied the root transcriptomic responses of oil palm seedlings under 14-day drought stress.

miR-129-3p alleviates chondrocyte apoptosis in knee joint fracture-induced osteoarthritis through CPEB1.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA), a refractory disease, is one of the leading contributors for disability worldwide. Since chondrocyte is the only resident cell in cartilage, this study aims to explore the roles of miR-129-3p and CPEB1 in chondrocyte apoptosis in knee joint fracture-induced OA.

Methods: Cartilage was collected from 20 OA patients who underwent total knee replacement (OA group) and 20 patients with knee contusion (normal group).

Molecular characterization of ovary-specific gene Mrfem-1 and siRNA-mediated regulation on targeting Mrfem-1 in the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii.

Characterized by ankyrin repeat motifs, the feminization-1 (fem-1) gene plays an essential role in sex determination/differentiation in Caenorhabditis elegans. However, there are only a few reports on fem-1 in crustaceans. In this study, a fem-1 gene (Mrfem-1) was first isolated from the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii.

Mapping and Validating QTL for Fatty Acid Compositions and Growth Traits in Asian Seabass.

Asian seabass is an important food fish species. While improving growth, increasing the nutritional value is important, omega-3 fatty acids are indispensable to human health. Identifying and validating DNA markers associated with traits is the first step towards marker-assisted selection (MAS).

Constructing High-Density Genetic Maps and Developing Sexing Markers in Northern Snakehead (Channa argus).

High-density genetic maps are essential for mapping QTL, improving genome assembly, comparative genomics, and studying sex chromosome evolution. The northern snakehead (Channa argus) is an economically important foodfish species with significant sexual dimorphism, where the males grow much faster and bigger than the females. However, to date, the sex determination pattern is still not clear, limiting identification of sex chromosomes, even sex determination genes and development of monosex populations that are valuable for both sex evolution of vertebrates and aquaculture practices.

Transcriptome analysis of the brain of the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis, for neuropeptide abundance profiles during ovarian development.

Neuropeptides, important messenger molecules, regulate various physiological processes, such as growth, development, and reproduction. In the present study, cDNA libraries from brains of E. sinensis were constructed and sequenced using the Illumina technique for transcript analysis and neuropeptides discovery.

QTL Mapping for Resistance to Iridovirus in Asian Seabass Using Genotyping-by-Sequencing.

Identifying quantitative trait loci (QTL) for viral disease resistance is of particular importance in selective breeding programs of fish species. Genetic markers linked to QTL can be useful in marker-assisted selection (MAS) for elites resistant to specific pathogens. Here, we conducted a genome scan for QTL associated with Singapore grouper iridovirus (SGIV) resistance in an Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) family, using a high-density linkage map generated with genotyping-by-sequencing.

Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies Loci Associated with Resistance to Viral Nervous Necrosis Disease in Asian Seabass.

Viral nervous necrosis disease (VNN), caused by nervous necrosis virus (NNV), is one major threat to mariculture. Identifying loci and understanding the mechanisms associated with resistance to VNN are important in selective breeding programs. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) to study the genomic architecture of resistance to NNV infection in Asian seabass.

Construction of high-resolution recombination maps in Asian seabass.

Background: A high-density genetic map is essential for de novo genome assembly, fine mapping QTL for important complex traits, comparative genomic studies and understanding the mechanisms of genome evolution. Although a number of genomic resources are available in Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer), a high-density linkage map is still lacking. To facilitate QTL mapping for marker-assisted selection and genome assembly, and to understand the genome-wide recombination rates, we constructed high density linkage maps using three families and genotyping by sequencing.

Charactering the ZFAND3 gene mapped in the sex-determining locus in hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis spp.).

Zinc finger AN1-type domain 3 (ZFAND3) is essential for spermatogenesis in mice. However, its function in teleosts remains unclear. In this study, we characterized the ZFAND3 gene (termed as OsZFAND3) in an important food fish, tilapia.