动物分泌型内吞溶酶体通道的发现
分泌型孔道形成蛋白（pore-forming proteins, PFPs）广泛分布于自然界的各种生物物种中。我们以两栖动物大蹼铃蟾（Bombina maxima）为模型开展的研究发现：细菌孔道形成毒素家族（aerolysin family）蛋白（af-PFPs）和三叶因子（trefoil factors, TFFs）在大蹼铃蟾中广泛分布，而且它们之间存在相互作用网络。首先，大蹼铃蟾af-PFP蛋白BmALP1可被其同源蛋白BmALP3进行氧浓度依赖的负调控，造成 BmALP1蛋白可在其活性（单体）和非活性形式（同源二聚体或多聚体）之间进行可逆性的转变。其次，活性形式的BmALP1可与BmTFF3相互作用以形成具有细胞活性的复合物βγ-CAT。该孔道形成蛋白复合物的特性在于通过受体介导的内吞（endocytosis）进入细胞并在内吞溶酶体上（endolysosomes）形成物质通道调控内吞溶酶体的生化特性，包括刺激和参与细胞巨胞饮（macropinocytosis）的作用。βγ-CAT复合物还同时具有诱导和调节细胞胞吐（exocytosis）的作用。取决于细胞类型和状态以及细胞外环境，βγ-CAT的细胞作用和效应可促进大蹼铃蟾的物质（例如水、营养成分、代谢物和外来抗原等）吸收和囊泡化运输以及胞内物质交换与外排，同时维持粘膜屏障和免疫防御的功能。基于已有的实验证据，我们提出了分泌型内吞溶酶体通道（secretory endolysosome channel, SELC）的创新性慨念并提出了SELC细胞通路的特征框架，两栖动物大蹼铃蟾βγ-CAT是第一个被实验验证了的SELC蛋白实例。鉴于新发现的SELC蛋白以及相应细胞作用通路在细胞与环境相互作用和环境适应中发挥的基础作用，它们在生物体，特别是脊椎动物物种中，应该具有进化上的保守性。
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下呼吸道标本核酸检测是SARS-CoV-2感染诊断和研究的可靠依据
新型冠状病毒（SARS-CoV-2）及其造成的肺炎（COVID-19）持续严重影响世界各国。稳定可靠的诊断方法和评价系统的欠缺严重阻碍了有效预防和治疗策略的实施和发展。该研究通过横向和纵向研究，比较分析来源于COVID-19患者和SARS-CoV-2感染猴的不同类型样本中SARS-CoV-2的核酸检出率，分析COVID-19患者和SARS-CoV-2感染猴血清中抗SARS-CoV-2抗体的阳性率，以评估SARS-CoV-2感染诊断方法的可靠性。结果显示无论感染者的临床症状如何，痰液和气管刷样品中病毒核酸检出率较高，感染确诊率高，诊断结果稳定。而6.90% COVID-19患者血清中未检测到抗SARS-CoV-2免疫球蛋白M和G。此外，同时采集不同类型样本并结合其核酸检测的结果并不能提高诊断率。另外，与鼻拭子和咽拭子相比，痰和气管刷中SARS-CoV-2病毒载量持续时间较长，动态变化较明显。因此，痰和气管刷中SARS-CoV-2核酸检测受感染途径、疾病进展和个体差异的影响较小，用下呼吸道标本进行SARS-CoV-2核酸检测是SARS-CoV-2感染诊断和研究的可靠依据。
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刺突蛋白的突变和血管紧张素转化酶2的等位基因变异对SARS-CoV-2靶向治疗策略的影响
新型冠状病毒肺炎(COVID-19)是由严重急性呼吸系统综合征冠状病毒2 (SARS-CoV-2)引起的一种大流行疾病，目前正在全球范围内迅速蔓延，其传播速度快，死亡人数高。迄今为止，尚无针对COVID-19的有效治疗或疫苗。血管紧张素转化酶2 (ACE2)和刺突蛋白（spike）在COVID-19治疗中的作用是当前的研究重点。在本研究中，我们探索了ACE2和spike作为靶点开发抗SARS-CoV-2病毒药物的潜力。我们分析了临床数据、测序数据和受体结合能力。其中，临床资料显示，COVID-19合并肾素-血管紧张素系统异常的患者早期症状多，预后差。然而，ACE2表达水平与COVID-19进展之间的关系尚不清楚。因此，ACE2可能不是一个很好的靶标适用于治疗不同人群的COVID-19。根据序列分析，与ACE2相互作用的spike-S1受体结合区域有许多氨基酸突变。通过受体-配体对接和ELISA试验，我们鉴定了两个spike-S1点突变体(V354F和V470A)。这些变异增强了spike蛋白与ACE2受体的结合，可能与突变体传染性增加有关。更重要的是，随着SARS-CoV-2的流行，感染V354F或V470A突变体的患者数量正在增加。这些结果表明，ACE2和spike-S1可能不适用设计广泛用于治疗不同人群COVID-19的药物理想靶点。
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古颚类鸟类转座元件、种群历史和基因的动态演化
古颚类鸟类包括平胸目和䳍形目，对它们的研究有助于我们对鸟类早期演化的了解。我们通过对古颚类15个物种全基因组序列的分析来重构其种群演化历史。除了分布在澳大利亚，新西兰和南美洲最南端的物种，我们发现，自上个冰川期开始以来，大多数古鄂类物种的种群数量都减少了。基因组转座元件不同程度的收缩和扩增塑造了古颚类的基因组结构，相对于平胸目，䳍形目的转座子有更高的丢失速率。大约3000万年前，AviRTE重复序列可能发生了从热带寄生虫向小穴䳍和波斑穴䳍祖先的水平转移。我们对基因家族的分析确定了与免疫和繁殖相关基因的快速变化，但是没有发现平胸目飞行趋同退化的基因家族变化。我们还发现线粒体基因在䳍形目中的进化速率高于平胸目，前者的W染色体退化地更严重。该结果可以通过W染色体和线粒体因为遗传连锁受到希尔·罗伯森干涉效应的影响来解释。综上，我们重建了古颚类种群，基因和转座元件的演化历史。线粒体和W染色体共同演化的发现突出了ZW性染色体物种与XY性染色体物种之间基因组进化的关键差异。
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多基因位点系统发育揭示熊猴(Macaca assamensis)尼泊尔种群的独立物种地位及其对进化和保护的启示
长期以来，基于形态、行为和分子特征的猕猴属(Macaca)斯里兰卡猴种组(sinica group)系统发育关系一直饱受争议。熊猴(M. assamensis)尼泊尔种群生活在该物种分布范围的最西部，形态特征独特，但其系统发育关系仍未有相关研究。本研究利用多个线粒体和Y染色体基因位点检验熊猴尼泊尔种群与其他猕猴间的系统发育关系，估算其分化时间与遗传距离。结果显示，斯里兰卡猴种组分化为两个主要分支：第一个分支包括藏酋猴（M. thibetana）、斯里兰卡猴（M. sinica）和熊猴指名亚种(M. assamensis assamensis)，第二个分支包括帽猴（M. radiata）、喜马拉雅山脉东部和中部的白颊猕猴（M. leucogenys）、达旺猴（M. munzala）和熊猴尼泊尔种群。在第二分支当中，熊猴尼泊尔种群大约于1.9百万年前最先与该分支其他成员分开。研究结果揭示熊猴尼泊尔种群与东部的熊猴指名亚种显著分化，而与白颊猕猴和达旺猴更接近，说明熊猴尼泊尔种群可能是一个独立的物种。由于其系统发育关系特殊、分布区隔离且种群数量少，斯里兰卡猴种组尼泊尔种群亟需详细的分类修订并采取相应优先保护措施。
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Journal Scope
Primates and Animal Models Conservation and Utilization of Animal ResourcesAnimal Diversity and Evolution
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SARS-CoV-2感染老年中国猕猴呈现迟发且严重的细胞因子风暴和免疫细胞浸润
截至2020年6月，全球新型冠状病毒感染者死亡人数已增至44万人，死亡患者中年龄大于65岁的老年人约占74％。因此，高龄是目前公认的新型冠状病毒感染死亡最重要风险因素。本研究通过构建老年及青年中国猕猴新型冠状病毒感染疾病模型，分析年龄对新型冠状病毒感染疾病进程的影响。结果表明，青年猕猴在感染后第1周表现为呼吸功能受损、肺部病毒活跃复制、肺部严重病理损伤以及肺组织中CD11b+ 细胞和CD8+ T细胞浸润，但在感染第2周疾病特征迅速恢复。与之相比，老年猕猴在感染第2周表现出明显的免疫反应和严重的细胞因子风暴，肺部CD11b+ 细胞浸润增加并伴有CD8+ T细胞持续浸润。同时，老年猕猴外周血T细胞显示出比年轻猕猴更明显的趋化性，但其抗病毒功能较弱。因此，延迟但更严重的细胞因子风暴和免疫细胞浸润可能是老年新型冠状病毒感染者预后不良的原因。
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乳腺癌动物模型及应用
乳腺癌是女性最常见的恶性肿瘤。乳腺癌基础和转化研究依赖于实验动物模型。理想的乳腺癌模型应与人类乳腺癌在肿瘤病因，生物学行为，病理学和对治疗的反应而言最好具有共性。根据构建模型的方法以及实验目的的不同，目前乳腺癌动物模型分为自发型、诱发型、移植型、基因工程型等，该篇综述介绍了不同乳腺癌实验动物模型研究的最新进展，并分析了它们的特征，优缺点和潜在应用。最后，我们指出了乳腺癌动物模型的未来研究方向。
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SARS-CoV-2感染中国树鼩呈现COVID-19样症状
2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行对全球公共卫生安全构成了巨大威胁。找到易感染新型冠状病毒（SARS-CoV-2/HCoV-19）的实验动物对于控制疫情、筛选有效的预防或治疗方法都是至关重要的。在本研究中，我们对灵长动物近亲——树鼩进行了新型冠状病毒感染模型创建研究。我们选择了不同年龄段的树鼩，包括1岁左右的成年树鼩和5-6岁的老年树鼩，感染SARS-CoV-2。在树鼩接种病毒后的不同天数进行肺部影像学、病毒载量、血常规和生化以及组织病理学等分析。结果表明，树鼩可以感染SARS-CoV-2病毒。X射线检查可以在大多数感染树鼩看到肺部浸润。在感染后3、5和7天，感染树鼩肺组织中可检测到病毒RNA，血常规和血清生化相关参数也发生变化，包括天冬氨酸转氨酶（AST）和尿素氮（BUN）水平升高。感染后3天成年组和7天老年组树鼩肺组织病理学染色显示肺泡间隔增厚，间质出血。在病毒排出高峰方面，两个不同的年龄组中存在一些差异。我们的研究结果表明，中国树鼩有可能成为COVID-19机制研究、药物和疫苗评价的模型动物。
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磁性纳米氧化铁药物介导的脑磁刺激新策略可快速改善小鼠抑郁样行为
磁刺激极大地促进了神经科学的进步，其中高频（10 Hz）重复经颅磁刺激（rTMS）刺激左背外侧前额叶皮层（DLPFC）已于2008年获得美国食品药品监督管理局（FDA）的批准，用于治疗成人难治性抑郁。但目前rTMS仍然存在技术局限性，包括穿透力差，磁刺激聚焦精度不足，刺激深度有限等。特别是在小动物精神疾病模型中，即使最小的通用线圈也会刺激整个半球甚至整个大脑，无法做到精准定位，难以研究rTMS的神经调控机制等脑科学相关的重大科学问题。针对此问题，我们提出了利用获得中国FDA批准的超顺磁性纳米氧化铁（SPIO）药物，结合轻度磁脉冲序列，以提高局部皮层敏感性的磁性脑刺激的新策略，即联合磁性刺激系统（c-MSS）。小鼠左前额叶皮层中与人类DLPFC同源的脑区为PrL，磁共振成像证明SPIO可稳定存在于PrL脑区至少11天。从细胞、动物和体外模型多方面证明了c-MSS的安全性和物理性特征。建立慢性不可预测的轻度应激（CUMS）抑郁模型小鼠，使用0.1T c-MSS（每次5分钟，每天两次）进行磁干预，结果表明10 Hz磁刺激5天可快速改善CUMS小鼠的抑郁样症状，这可能与增加脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）和改善下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺（HPA）轴有密切关系。c-MSS是一种可精准刺激小动物任意皮层靶标的新方法，这一项研究成果将极大地丰富磁刺激的潜在应用领域，促进基于磁性纳米药物的磁刺激技术临床转化。
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印支灰叶猴 (Trachypithecus crepusculus) 林层利用及森林覆盖率对乌叶猴属 (Trachypithecus) 地栖性的影响
研究动物在不同栖息地条件下表现出的行为弹性对于濒危物种保护来说至关重要。乌叶猴属动物生活在多样的栖息地中，表现出不同的林层利用模式；然而栖息地结构对于林层利用的影响尚未得到深入研究。本研究于2012年6月至2016年1月调查了印支灰叶猴 (Trachypithecus crepusculus) 在无量山原始常绿林中的林层利用模式，并且比较了印支灰叶猴和其它5个乌叶猴属物种在林层利用和地栖行为上的异同。不同于生活在喀斯特石山的叶猴，印支灰叶猴研究群体表现出高度的树栖性，在地面活动的时间只占总活动时间的2.9%。研究群体倾向于在较高的林层休息，在较低的林层 (<20m) 移动；在地面的时间主要用于食土，极少用于取食其它食物。这些林层利用模式与石山叶猴 (黑叶猴，T. francoisi) 在连续性较好的森林中的行为相似。本研究还发现乌叶猴属地栖程度与栖息地森林覆盖率之间存在显著的负相关关系，这种关系在石山叶猴内部也具有显著性，暗示石山叶猴因森林覆盖率的下降而提高了地栖性。本研究结果揭示了乌叶猴属物种在林层利用方面的行为弹性，强调了连续程度高的森林对于叶猴保护的重要性。
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2019年人类冠状病毒(HCoV-19)引起人畜共患病溯源研究的重要性
2019年人类冠状病毒（HCoV-19/SARS-CoV-2/2019-nCoV）感染引起2019年肺炎爆发，造成对人类全球性威胁。作者参考两种引起人类严重肺炎的新型冠状病毒SARS-CoV和MERS-CoV的流行病学数据，总结了HCoV-19人畜共患病起源的现有数据。作者建议今后应加紧HCoV-19的溯源研究，为控制和预防该病提供重要的科学依据。
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基于全基因组数据解析新型冠状病毒演化和传播
2019年12月中旬新型肺炎疫情(COVID-19)在湖北武汉爆发，截至2020年2月29日，新冠病毒SARS-CoV-2（2019-nCoV/HCoV-19）已感染全球85 000多人。在本研究中，我们使用了GISAID EpiFluTM数据库中的93个完整新冠病毒基因组来解析新冠病毒在疫情爆发前两个月的演化，以及人际传播情况。我们采用系统发育网状分析方法，构建了SARS-CoV-2基因组的单倍型的演化关系，并进一步对病毒的潜在种群大小变化进行估算。利用公式t =τ/ 2u，基于扩展参数tau（τ）推算了病毒可能发生扩张（即大量人传人）日期。在新冠病毒基因组的八个编码区中共发现120个的变异位点，关联119个密码子有79个非同义和40个同义替换。我们猜测40个改变氨基酸属性的非同义替换可能与病毒适应性有关。另外，我们分析中没有检测到病毒重组事件。从93个病毒基因组中鉴定出58种单倍型，将其划分为五组用于传播和扩散分析。通过蝙蝠冠状病毒基因组（bat-RaTG13-CoV）作为外群，我们发现单倍型H13和H38可能是古老的单倍型，单倍型H1是从单倍型H3演化而来。种群扩张时间估算发现在2020年1月6日和2019年12月8日可能发生大量人传人。此外，我们利用谱系流行病学方法回溯了一些人际传播事件。同时，这种方法可以用于寻找感染病例的病毒感染源。
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短腿蟾属（无尾目：角蟾科）复查并恢复平头短腿蟾的有效性及描述一新种
最近，关于广义角蟾属有诸多分类争论，其中也包括单系群短腿蟾。短腿蟾具有明显的可识别的形态特征，且最近所有分子系统学研究都表明其为一个稳定的单系群，因此将其作为一个独立属是合理的。本研究对该属做了全面复查，并基于形态学差异和系统发育关系提出了两个种组，同时认为平头短腿蟾是一个有效种，其与宽头短腿蟾有较大遗传分化和显著形态差异。此外，基于采自中国东南部的一系列标本，描述了一新种——东方短腿蟾。至此，短腿蟾属成员增加到7个，其多样性显然被低估了。另外，基于分类便利性、单系性和紧凑性原则，本研究还讨论了角蟾亚科其他单系群的属级分类地位问题。
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利用两种携带不同荧光蛋白的逆行感染的腺相关病毒证明小鼠副嗅球的向心投射具有弥散特征
脊椎动物拥有主嗅和副嗅两套嗅觉系统，共同感知和处理挥发性和非挥发性的社会性化学信息，进而调控不同的性行为和社会行为。副嗅球是副嗅系统进行信息传递和处理的第一级中枢，位于主嗅球的背后侧。由于其特殊的解剖位置和缺乏特异性分子细胞标记，我们对副嗅球的内部和外部神经网络了解得非常有限。本文中，我们利用可以在轴突末端吸收并逆行传递和感染神经元胞体的腺相关病毒（retro-rAAV），在小鼠副嗅皮层（终纹床核、皮层杏仁核前侧、中央杏仁核和皮层杏仁核后内侧）注射retro-rAAV，成功实现了对小鼠副嗅球内投射神经元的荧光标记，证明了该方法的有效性。在此基础上，我们利用携带不同荧光蛋白的retro-rAAV分别注射在上述不同的副嗅皮层，发现了副嗅球内投射神经元被共标，证明了小鼠副嗅球内投射神经元向心投射具有弥散的特征（1对多），与主嗅球的投射神经元类似。此外，我们还发现投射到不同皮层的副嗅球投射神经元被感染的数量有所不同，表明单个投射神经元的信息在向心传递过程中，可能会传递到不同皮层内不同数量的皮层神经元。这些结果为我们理解脊椎动物副嗅系统对外周环境中的气味信息的编码和解码机制提供了一定的神经环路基础。
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2021, 42(3): 262-266.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.321
The Dianchi golden-line barbel, Sinocyclocheilus grahami (Regan, 1904), is one of the “Four Famous Fishes” of Yunnan Province, China. Given its economic value, this species has been artificially bred successfully since 2007, with a nationally selected breed (“S. grahami, Bayou No. 1”) certified in 2018. For the future utilization of this species, its growth rate, disease resistance, and wild adaptability need to be improved, which could be achieved with the help of molecular marker-assisted selection (MAS). In the current study, we constructed the first chromosome-level genome of S. grahami, assembled 48 pseudo-chromosomes, and obtained a genome assembly of 1.49 Gb. We also performed QTL-seq analysis of S. grahami using the highest and lowest bulks (i.e., largest and smallest size) in both a sibling and random population. We screened two quantitative trait loci (QTLs) (Chr3, 14.9–39.1 Mb and Chr17, 4.1–27.4 Mb) as the major growth-related locations. Several candidate genes (e.g., map2k5, stat1, phf21a, sox6, and smad6) were also identified, with functions related to growth, such as cell differentiation, neuronal development, skeletal muscle development, chondrogenesis, and immunity. These results built a solid foundation for in-depth MAS studies on the growth traits of S. grahami.
2021, 42(3): 272-279.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.319
A new species of the genus Atelopus, Atelopus fronterizo sp. nov. , from eastern Panama is described herein based on molecular, morphological, and bioacoustic evidence. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners occurring in the region by a combination of the following characters: (1) phalangeal reduction in thumb; (2) SVL (females only) (35.1–50.1; n=13), HW/SVL (0.23–0.34; n=59), EYND/HW (0.27–0.39; n=60), TIBL/SVL (0.41–0.56; n=58), and HAL/SVL (0.22–0.28; n=49); (3) dorsal color pattern with green or yellow background and extensive dark olive blotches forming transversal bands or mottling; (4) advertisement call duration 176–235 ms with 19–34 pulses, average pulse rate 131.69 pulses/s, and dominant frequency 2 422.50–2 606.50 Hz. The new species is nested within the Central American clade of Atelopus. The minimum Kimura‐2‐parameter (K2P) genetic divergence between Atelopus fronterizo sp. nov. and its most phylogenetically similar congeners (A. certus and A. glyphus) is >2.6% for 16S and >4.9% for COI (
). The phylogenetic relationship is strongly supported by ultrafast bootstrap values for the maximum-likelihood trees of both genetic markers (16S, 96; COI, 100,
). Bayesian analysis of the concatenated sequences resulted in a tree with similar topology and high posterior probability support (0.99; Supplementary Figure S1). In addition, haplotype networks inferred from COI and 16S (Supplementary Figure S2) showed a well-separated clade containing the new species (two for COI, four for 16S). The number of mutational steps between haplotypes for the new species samples is very low (1–4 in 16S; one in COI), and the minimum number of mutational steps from the nearest species is nine for 16S (distance to A. certus) and 28 for COI (distance to A. glyphus).
2021, 42(3): 280-286.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.377
DNA studies of endangered or extinct species often rely on ancient or degraded remains. The majority of ancient DNA (aDNA) extraction protocols focus on skeletal elements, with skin and hair samples rarely explored. Similar to that found in bones and teeth, DNA extracted from historical or ancient skin and fur samples is also extremely fragmented with low endogenous content due to natural degradation processes. Thus, the development of effective DNA extraction methods is required for these materials. Here, we compared the performance of two DNA extraction protocols (commercial and custom laboratory aDNA methods) on hair and skin samples from decades-old museum specimens to Iron Age archaeological material. We found that apart from the impact sample-specific taphonomic and handling history has on the quantity and quality of DNA preservation, skin yielded more endogenous DNA than hair of the samples and protocols tested. While both methods recovered DNA from ancient soft tissue, the laboratory method performed better overall in terms of DNA yield and quality, which was primarily due to the poorer performance of the commercial binding buffer in recovering aDNA.
2021, 42(3): 253-261.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.368
Parabiosis is a surgical method of animal modeling with a long history. It has been widely used in medical research, particularly in the fields of aging, stem cells, neuroscience, and immunity in the past two decades. The protocols for parabiosis have been improved many times and are now widely accepted. However, researchers need to consider many details, from surgical operation to perioperative management, to reduce mortality and maintain the parabiosis union. Although parabiosis has certain inevitable limitations, it still has broad application prospects as an irreplaceable animal model in the medical research field.
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doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.318
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The Eremias multiocellata-przewalskii species complex is a viviparous group in the genus Eremias, and a well-known representative of taxonomically complicated taxa. Within this complex, a new species – E. dzungarica (Orlova et al., 2017 ) – has been described recently from western Mongolia and eastern Kazakhstan, with an apparent distribution gap in northwestern China. In this study, we used an integrative taxonomic framework to address whether E. dzungarica indeed occurs in China. Thirty specimens previously classified as E. multiocellata were collected in eastern Kazakhstan and the adjacent Altay region in China. The cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) barcodes were sequenced and compiled with those from Orlova et al. (2017) and analyzed with the standard and diverse barcoding techniques. We detected an absence of a barcoding gap in this complex, which indicates potential cryptic species in Eremias sp. 3 with high intraspecific diversity and multiple recently evolved species in Clade A. Both BIN and GMYC suggested an unrealistically large number of species (23 and 26, respectively), while ABGD, mPTP and BPP indicated a more conservative number of species (10, 12, and 15, respectively), largely concordant with the previously defined species-level lineages according to phylogenetic trees. Based on molecular phylogeny and morphological examination, all 30 individuals collected in this study were reliably identified as E. dzungarica – a distinct species – confirming the occurrence of this species in the Altay region, Xinjiang, China. Potentially owing to the larger sample size in this study, our morphological analyses revealed many inconsistencies with the original descriptions of E. dzungarica, which were primarily associated with sexual dimorphism and a broader range of values for various traits.
The Eremias multiocellata-przewalskii species complex is a viviparous group in the genus Eremias, and a well-known representative of taxonomically complicated taxa. Within this complex, a new species – E. dzungarica (
摘要:
α-crystallins are small heat shock proteins, function as molecular chaperones to inhibit the misfolding and aggregation of β/γ-crystallins. Genetic mutations of CRYAA are associated with protein aggregation and cataract occurance. One possible mechanism causing cataract is that endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) induces unfolded protein response (UPR) and eventually leads to apoptosis. However, the underlying pathogenic mechanism has not been explored. Here, we successfully constructed cataract-causing mutant CRYAA (Y118D) related mouse model and the lens of CRYAA-Y118D mutant mouse showed severe posterior rupture, abnormal morphological changes and aberrant arrangement in crystallin fibers. Histological results were consistent with the clinical pathological characteristics. Further, we explored pathogenic factors in cataract development process through transcriptome analysis. Key pathway analysis showed that up-regulated genes in CRYAA-Y118D mutant mouse were implicated in ERS-UPR pathway. The findings of this study show that prolonged activation of UPR pathway and severe stress response causes proteotoxic and ERS-induced cell death in CRYAA-Y118D mutant mouse.
α-crystallins are small heat shock proteins, function as molecular chaperones to inhibit the misfolding and aggregation of β/γ-crystallins. Genetic mutations of CRYAA are associated with protein aggregation and cataract occurance. One possible mechanism causing cataract is that endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) induces unfolded protein response (UPR) and eventually leads to apoptosis. However, the underlying pathogenic mechanism has not been explored. Here, we successfully constructed cataract-causing mutant CRYAA (Y118D) related mouse model and the lens of CRYAA-Y118D mutant mouse showed severe posterior rupture, abnormal morphological changes and aberrant arrangement in crystallin fibers. Histological results were consistent with the clinical pathological characteristics. Further, we explored pathogenic factors in cataract development process through transcriptome analysis. Key pathway analysis showed that up-regulated genes in CRYAA-Y118D mutant mouse were implicated in ERS-UPR pathway. The findings of this study show that prolonged activation of UPR pathway and severe stress response causes proteotoxic and ERS-induced cell death in CRYAA-Y118D mutant mouse.
摘要:
The loach tribe Yunnanilini from China is reviewed using morphological characters and the complete mitochondrial genome of some selected species. Molecular data suggested that the tribe Yunnanilini is not monophyletic and divided into three clades. Species of the Y. nigromaculatus group form an independent genus and are placed in Eonemachilus. In the phylogenetic tree, Y. jinxiensis clustered with Paranemachilus genelepis, and Y. pulcherrimus clustered with Micronemacheilus cruciatus, indicating that Y. jinxiensis and Y. pulcherrimus belong to Paranemachilus and Micronemacheilus, respectively. Based on morphological data, four species from Guangxi, i.e., Y. bailianensis and Y. longibarbatus are placed in Heminoemacheilus, while Y. jinxiensis and Y. pulcherrimus, are placed in Paranemachilus, and in Micronemacheilus, respectively. Yunnanilus niulanensis and Y. qujinensis are treated as junior synonyms of Eonemachilus caohaiensis. The shared character of Eonemachilus, Micronemacheilus, and Yunnanilus is the short separation between the anterior and posterior nostrils. The genera can be distinguished from each other by mouth structure, characteristics of the lateral line and cephalic lateral-line canals, and papillae on the median part of both lips. The anterior and posterior nostrils of Heminoemacheilus and Paranemachilus are closely set. Characters distinguishing of Paranemachilus and Micronemacheilus are cheeks covered by scales and lips with papillae, respectively. Furthermore, our phylogenetic tree and morphological characters supported Traccatichthys as a valid genus, which can be distinguished from Micronemacheilus by anterior and posterior nostril closely set (vs. clearly separated). Four species are placed in Traccatichthys.
The loach tribe Yunnanilini from China is reviewed using morphological characters and the complete mitochondrial genome of some selected species. Molecular data suggested that the tribe Yunnanilini is not monophyletic and divided into three clades. Species of the Y. nigromaculatus group form an independent genus and are placed in Eonemachilus. In the phylogenetic tree, Y. jinxiensis clustered with Paranemachilus genelepis, and Y. pulcherrimus clustered with Micronemacheilus cruciatus, indicating that Y. jinxiensis and Y. pulcherrimus belong to Paranemachilus and Micronemacheilus, respectively. Based on morphological data, four species from Guangxi, i.e., Y. bailianensis and Y. longibarbatus are placed in Heminoemacheilus, while Y. jinxiensis and Y. pulcherrimus, are placed in Paranemachilus, and in Micronemacheilus, respectively. Yunnanilus niulanensis and Y. qujinensis are treated as junior synonyms of Eonemachilus caohaiensis. The shared character of Eonemachilus, Micronemacheilus, and Yunnanilus is the short separation between the anterior and posterior nostrils. The genera can be distinguished from each other by mouth structure, characteristics of the lateral line and cephalic lateral-line canals, and papillae on the median part of both lips. The anterior and posterior nostrils of Heminoemacheilus and Paranemachilus are closely set. Characters distinguishing of Paranemachilus and Micronemacheilus are cheeks covered by scales and lips with papillae, respectively. Furthermore, our phylogenetic tree and morphological characters supported Traccatichthys as a valid genus, which can be distinguished from Micronemacheilus by anterior and posterior nostril closely set (vs. clearly separated). Four species are placed in Traccatichthys.
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2021, 42(2): 135-137.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2021.066
The water-to-land transition was a major step in vertebrate evolution and eventually gave rise to the tetrapods, including amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. The first land invasion of our fish ancestors is considered to have occurred during the late Devonian period ~370 million years ago (Mya) (Daeschler et al., 2006 ). Many fossils from important transitional species, such as Tiktaalik, Acanthostega, and Ichthyostega, have helped to identify key morphological and anatomical structures crucial to vertebrate terrestrial adaptation (Coates, 1996 ; Johanson & Ahlberg, 2001 ; Shubin et al., 2006 ). However, homologous analyses of these body forms and structures in more ancient species have suggested that some of the morphologies related to vertebrate land dispersal were already present in early bony fish species. For instance, the presence of shoulder girdles on the articular surface of the endoskeleton in Late Lochkovian Psarolepis indicates that stem sarcopterygians already possessed an endoskeletal fin pattern similar to that of tetrapod stylopods (Zhu & Yu, 2009 ). In addition, primitive lungs, which originated from the respiratory pharynx and were located on the ventral side of the alimentary tracts, can be observed in several extant basal actinopterygians (bichirs, reedfish) and all extant sarcopterygians, as well as some fossils of coelacanths and salamanders (Cupello et al., 2017 ; Tissier et al., 2017 ) (Figure 1 ). This evidence suggests that, instead of relying on genetic innovations evolving after the first fish left their water habitat, this transition may have been accomplished by adopting physical traits and genetic components that already existed far earlier than when the transition occurred. Whether such an ancestral developmental regulatory network was present or not and how far this ancestral network can be traced in history are challenging questions for paleontologists. Three recent papers published in Cell provide new insights into this hypothesis. Wang et al. (2021) sequenced the giant genome of lungfish, the closest fish species to tetrapods, and Bi et al. (2021) sequenced the genomes of multiple early divergent ray-finned fish. Comparative genomic analyses from these two studies confirmed the presence of ancestral genetic regulatory networks that likely played essential roles in the development and evolution of various biological functions related to vertebrate land invasion. Although certain ancestral features have been lost in teleosts, the most derived fish lineage to evolve after whole-genome duplication (Sato & Nishida, 2010 ), they have been recreated in zebrafish by modifying their genetic makeup to reactivate the ancestral genetic network (Hawkins et al., 2021 ).
2021, 42(2): 138-140.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2021.004
We recently identified a cynomolgus monkey with naturally occurring Parkinson’s disease (PD), indicating that PD may not be a uniquely human disease (Li et al, 2020 ). In our previous study, four lines of evidence, including typical PD clinical symptoms, pharmacological responses, pathological hallmarks, and genetic mutations, strongly supported the identification of a monkey with spontaneous PD (Figure 1 ). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of naturally developed PD in animals. This suggests that PD is not a disease restricted to humans, with its existence in a non-human primate providing a novel evolutionary angle for understanding PD. As a close relative to humans (Buffalo et al, 2019 ; Phillips et al, 2014 ; Yan et al, 2011 ), this rare case of PD in another primate species provides solid evidence that monkeys are ideal candidates for the development of a genuine “animal version of PD”, with conserved etiology and pathogenesis (Li et al, 2020 ). Furthermore, it allows us to compare similarities and differences in PD development between species and to understand PD pathogenesis from an evolutionary point of view.
2021, 42(2): 141-152.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.358
Secretory pore-forming proteins (PFPs) have been identified in organisms from all kingdoms of life. Our studies with the toad species Bombina maxima found an interaction network among aerolysin family PFPs (af-PFPs) and trefoil factors (TFFs). As a toad af-PFP, BmALP1 can be reversibly regulated between active and inactive forms, with its paralog BmALP3 acting as a negative regulator. BmALP1 interacts with BmTFF3 to form a cellular active complex called βγ-CAT. This PFP complex is characterized by acting on endocytic pathways and forming pores on endolysosomes, including stimulating cell macropinocytosis. In addition, cell exocytosis can be induced and/or modulated in the presence of βγ-CAT. Depending on cell contexts and surroundings, these effects can facilitate the toad in material uptake and vesicular transport, while maintaining mucosal barrier function as well as immune defense. Based on experimental evidence, we hereby propose a secretory endolysosome channel (SELC) pathway conducted by a secreted PFP in cell endocytic and exocytic systems, with βγ-CAT being the first example of a SELC protein. With essential roles in cell interactions and environmental adaptations, the proposed SELC protein pathway should be conserved in other living organisms.
Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the leading cause of gynecological cancer-related mortality in the developed world. EOC is a heterogeneous disease represented by several histological and molecular subtypes. Therefore, exploration of relevant preclinical animal models that consider the heterogenic nature of EOC is of great importance for the development of novel therapeutic strategies that can be translated clinically to combat this devastating disease. In this review, we discuss recent progress in the development of preclinical mouse models for EOC study as well as their advantages and limitations.
2021, 42(2): 161-169.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.329
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continue to impact countries worldwide. At present, inadequate diagnosis and unreliable evaluation systems hinder the implementation and development of effective prevention and treatment strategies. Here, we conducted a horizontal and longitudinal study comparing the detection rates of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid in different types of samples collected from COVID-19 patients and SARS-CoV-2-infected monkeys. We also detected anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the above clinical and animal model samples to identify a reliable approach for the accurate diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results showed that, regardless of clinical symptoms, the highest detection levels of viral nucleic acid were found in sputum and tracheal brush samples, resulting in a high and stable diagnosis rate. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin M (IgM) and G (IgG) antibodies were not detected in 6.90% of COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, integration of nucleic acid detection results from the various sample types did not improve the diagnosis rate. Moreover, dynamic changes in SARS-CoV-2 viral load were more obvious in sputum and tracheal brushes than in nasal and throat swabs. Thus, SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid detection in sputum and tracheal brushes was the least affected by infection route, disease progression, and individual differences. Therefore, SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid detection using lower respiratory tract samples alone is reliable for COVID-19 diagnosis and study.
2021, 42(2): 170-181.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.301
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread rapidly worldwide with high rates of transmission and substantial mortality. To date, however, no effective treatments or enough vaccines for COVID-19 are available. The roles of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and spike protein in the treatment of COVID-19 are major areas of research. In this study, we explored the potential of ACE2 and spike protein as targets for the development of antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2. We analyzed clinical data, genetic data, and receptor binding capability. Clinical data revealed that COVID-19 patients with comorbidities related to an abnormal renin-angiotensin system exhibited more early symptoms and poorer prognoses. However, the relationship between ACE2 expression and COVID-19 progression is still not clear. Furthermore, if ACE2 is not a good targetable protein, it would not be applicable across a wide range of populations. The spike-S1 receptor-binding domain that interacts with ACE2 showed various amino acid mutations based on sequence analysis. We identified two spike-S1 point mutations (V354F and V470A) by receptor-ligand docking and binding enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. These variants enhanced the binding of the spike protein to ACE2 receptors and were potentially associated with increased infectivity. Importantly, the number of patients infected with the V354F and V470A mutants has increased with the development of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. These results suggest that ACE2 and spike-S1 are likely not ideal targets for the design of peptide drugs to treat COVID-19 in different populations.
2021, 42(2): 182-194.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.302
Allactaginae is a subfamily of dipodids consisting of four- and five-toed jerboas (Allactaga, Allactodipus, Orientallactaga, Pygeretmus, Scarturus) found in open habitats of Asia and North Africa. Recent molecular phylogenies have upended our understanding of this group’s systematics across taxonomic scales. Here, I used cranial geometric morphometrics to examine variation across 219 specimens of 14 allactagine species (Allactaga major, A. severtzovi, Orientallactaga balikunica, O. bullata, O. sibirica, Pygeretmus platyurus, P. pumilio, P. shitkovi, Scarturus aralychensis, S. euphraticus, S. hotsoni, S. indicus, S. tetradactylus, S. williamsi) in light of their revised taxonomy. Results showed no significant sexual size or shape dimorphism. Species significantly differed in cranial size and shape both overall and as species pairs. Species identity had a strong effect on both cranial size and shape. Only a small part of cranial shape variation was allometric, with no evidence of unique species allometries, and most specimens fit closely to the common allometric regression vector. Allactaga was the largest, followed by Orientallactaga, Scarturus, and finally Pygeretmus. Principal component 1 (PC1) separated O. bullata+O. balikunica+S. hotsoni (with inflated bullae along with reduced zygomatic arches and rostra) from A. major+A. severtzovi+O. sibirica (with converse patterns), while PC2 differentiated Orientallactaga (with enlarged cranial bases and rostra along with reduced zygomatic arches and foramina magna) from Scarturus+Pygeretmus (with the opposite patterns). Clustering based on the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) contained the four genera, but S. hotsoni clustered with O. bullata+O. balikunica and O. sibirica clustered with A. major+A. severtzovi, likely due to convergence and allometry, respectively.
2021, 42(2): 195-206.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.281
Although widely thought to be aggressive, solitary, and potentially cannibalistic, some spider species have evolved group-living behaviors. The distinct transition provides the framework to uncover group-living evolution. Here, we conducted a comparative transcriptomic study and examined patterns of molecular evolution in two independently evolved group-living spiders and twelve solitary species. We report that positively selected genes among group-living spider lineages are significantly enriched in nutrient metabolism and autophagy pathways. We also show that nutrient-related genes of group-living spiders convergently experience amino acid substitutions and accelerated relative evolutionary rates. These results indicate adaptive convergence of nutrient metabolism that may ensure energy supply in group-living spiders. The decelerated evolutionary rate of autophagy-related genes in group-living lineages is consistent with an increased constraint on energy homeostasis as would be required in a group-living environment. Together, the results show that energy metabolic pathways play an important role in the transition to group-living in spiders.
2021, 42(2): 207-211.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.325
Deforestation represents one of the greatest threats to tropical forest mammals, and the situation is greatly exacerbated by bushmeat hunting. To construct informed conservation plans, information must be gathered about responses to habitat degradation, regeneration, and hunting over a sufficiently long period to allow demographic responses. We quantified changes in the abundance of three commonly occurring ungulate species (i.e., bushbuck, Tragelaphus scriptus; red duiker, Cephalophus sp.; blue duiker, Cephalophus monticola) at eight sites in Kibale National Park, Uganda (old growth=3; logged=3; regenerating=2) for 23 years. Changes in abundance (363 surveys totaling 1 450 km) were considered in regard to the park’s management strategy, regional economic indicators, and estimates of illegal hunting. Bushbuck abundance increased in old-growth and logged forests from 1996 to 2009, and then oscillated around this level or declined. Duiker abundance demonstrated a similar pattern, but abundance in the old-growth forests showed a general increase from 1996 to present day. Duiker abundance in the logged forests exhibited an early increase, but subsequent oscillation. Poaching signs per patrol have remained stable over the last decade, despite increases in the size of the surrounding population, cost of living, and cost of schooling, thus reflecting successful efforts in conservation education and enforcement. Our study highlights the positive impact of park establishment, patrol, and conservation efforts on ungulate populations and shows the adaptability of forest mammal populations to different management schemes.
2021, 42(2): 212-216.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.355
Muntjac deer (Cervidae: Muntiacus) are often cited as an excellent model for the study of vertebrate evolution due to their fast rate of change in chromosome number among vertebrates. However, the phylogenetic relationships within Muntiacus generally, and the taxonomic status of Muntiacus gongshanensis specifically, remain unclear. Here, the phylogenetic relationships within Muntiacus were studied using mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) and cytochrome b (cyt b) segments. Our results recognize 12 species within Muntiacus and support the controversial species M. gongshanensis, M. putaoensis, and M. malabaricus. Furthermore, Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum-likelihood (ML) approaches revealed M. gongshanensis and M. crinifrons to be closely related species, with M. feae as their sister species, and M. putaoensis and M. truongsonensis to be closely related, with M. rooseveltorum as their sister species. The distribution range of M. gongshanensis was also confirmed in southwest China (Namdapha, Modong, Zayu and Gongshan) and northern Myanmar (Putao). The results of this study provide insight into the evolution of Muntiacus and further provide a molecular basis for the taxonomic evaluation of the genus in the future and fundamental data for the conservation of M. gongshanensis.
2021, 42(2): 217-220.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.332
Recent studies have examined the cost of raising parasitic cuckoos and highlighted the importance of “no extra cost” in explaining the low levels of defense in hosts. To clarify the reasons for parasitization in typical hosts, we present a simple model to explore the immediate and future costs of parasitism in shaping the evolution of defense behavior in hosts. Our results suggest that any cost of parasitization is maladaptive to the host and learned egg recognition is always favored to overcome these costs. Furthermore, although facing a potential cost of mis-imprinting, learned nestling recognition may still evolve when there is a non-zero immediate cost from raising a parasitic nestling. Therefore, we contend that “no extra cost” does not provide sufficient evidence to explain the low levels of defense behavior in hosts per se.
2021, 42(2): 221-226.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.288
Parents may adjust their breeding time to optimize reproductive output and reduce reproductive costs associated with unpredictable climatic conditions, especially in the context of global warming. The breeding performance of tropical bird species in response to local climate change is relatively understudied compared with that of temperate bird species. Here, based on data from 361 white-rumped munia (Lonchura striata) nests, we determined that breeding season onset, which varied from 15 February to 22 June, was delayed by drought and high temperatures. Clutch size (4.52±0.75) and daily survival rate but not egg mass (0.95±0.10 g) were negatively affected by frequent rainfall. Daily nest survival during the rainy breeding season in 2018 (0.95±0.04) was lower than that in 2017 (0.98±0.01) and 2019 (0.97±0.00). The overall nesting cycle was 40.37±2.69 days, including an incubation period of 13.10±1.18 days and nestling period of 23.22±2.40 days. The nestling period in 2018 (25.11±1.97 days) was longer than that in 2017 (22.90±2.22 days) and 2019 (22.00±2.48 days), possibly due to the cooler temperatures. Climate also affected the total number of successful fledglings, which was highest under moderate rainfall in 2017 (115 fledglings) and lowest during prolonged drought in 2019 (51 fledglings). Together, our results suggest that drought and frequent rainfall during the breeding season can decrease reproductive success. Thus, this study provides important insights into bird ecology and conservation in the context of global climate change.
2021, 42(2): 227-233.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.311
We describe a new species of the genus Kurixalus, Kurixalus raoi sp. nov ., from Guizhou Province, China, based on morphological and molecular evidence. Phylogenetically, the new species is sister to K. idiootocus, but is distinguishable from all known congeners by a combination of the following characters: small body size (snout-vent length 28.2‒32.2 mm in males; 38.6 mm in female); snout rounded, with no prominence on tip; single internal vocal sac; dorsal surface brown, rough, scattered with several small warts; chin clouded with blackish marking; pair of large symmetrical dark blotches on chest; vomerine teeth present; iris brown; tibiotarsal articulation reaching center of eye; nuptial pad slight; flank rough; mandibular symphysis weak; throat skin granular; and toes moderately webbed, formula I2‒2II1.5‒3III2‒3IV3‒2V. The genetic distances between the new species and K. idiootocus were 2.9% and 5.4% for 16S rRNA and COI, respectively.
2021, 42(2): 234-240.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.333
We report on a new amphibian species of the genus Micryletta from Hainan Island, China, based on morphological and molecular analyses. The new species, Micryletta immaculata sp. nov. , is diagnosed by a combination of the following morphological characters: medium-sized within genus (SVL 23.3–24.8 mm in males, n=3; 27.7–30.1 mm in females, n=2); dorsum bronze brown to reddish brown in life; dark brown spots and stripes on dorsum and flank absent; flanks largely pigmented with silver white; throat in adult males dark brown; undersides without dark patterns; outer metatarsal tubercle absent; supratympanic fold distinct; webbing between toes basal and poorly developed; tibiotarsal articulation adpressed limb reaching level of tympanum. The new species is divergent from all other congeners based on 16S rRNA gene sequences (3.0%–7.7%). Data on the natural history and male advertisement calls of the new species are provided. Following the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria, we propose the new species to be listed as Vulnerable B1ab (iii).
2021, 42(2): 241-245.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.287
A new loach species (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae: Yunnanilini), Yunnanilus chuanheensis sp. nov. , was caught from Chuanhe in the upper reaches of the Lixianjiang River, a tributary of the Red River in Nanjian County, Yunnan Province, China. This species is a member of the traditional Y. pleurotaenia species group based on the presence of a lateral line and cephalic lateral-line canals. It can be distinguished from other species in the Y. pleurotaenia species group by the following characters: lips without papillae, anterior and posterior nostrils separated, whole body scaled, eye diameter smaller than interorbital width, outer gill raker absent on first gill arch, eye diameter greater than 18% of head length, 10–11 inner gill rakers on first gill arch, and lateral line not extending to vertical through dorsal fin insertion. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first Yunnanilus species recorded from the Red River drainage.
2021, 42(2): 246-249.
doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2021.014
Somatic mutations are a large category of genetic variations, which play an essential role in tumorigenesis. Detection of somatic single nucleotide variants (SNVs) could facilitate downstream analysis of tumorigenesis. Many computational methods have been developed to detect SNVs, but most require normal matched samples to differentiate somatic SNVs from the normal state, which can be difficult to obtain. Therefore, developing new approaches for detecting somatic SNVs without matched samples are crucial. In this work, we detected somatic mutations from individual tumor samples based on a novel machine learning approach, svmSomatic, using next-generation sequencing (NGS) data. In addition, as somatic SNV detection can be impacted by multiple mutations, with germline mutations and co-occurrence of copy number variations (CNVs) common in organisms, we used the novel approach to distinguish somatic and germline mutations based on the NGS data from individual tumor samples. In summary, svmSomatic: (1) considers the influence of CNV co-occurrence in detecting somatic mutations; and (2) trains a support vector machine algorithm to distinguish between somatic and germline mutations, without requiring normal matched samples. We further tested and compared svmSomatic with other common methods. Results showed that svmSomatic performance, as measured by F1-score, was significantly better than that of others using both simulation and real NGS data.
Following the publication of our paper (Zhang et al., 2020 ), it has come to our attention that we erroneously listed two funding sources unrelated to this study in the “ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS” section. Hereby, we wish to update the “ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS” section as a correction:
After the publication of Wang et al. (2020) , we realized that there were some inappropriate statements in the content. Hereby, we correct them and apologize for any confusion this may have caused.
The Dianchi golden-line barbel, Sinocyclocheilus grahami (Regan, 1904), is one of the “Four Famous Fishes” of Yunnan Province, China. Given its economic value, this species has been artificially bred successfully since 2007, with a nationally selected breed (“S. grahami, Bayou No. 1”) certified in 2018. For the future utilization of this species, its growth rate, disease resistance, and wild adaptability need to be improved, which could be achieved with the help of molecular marker-assisted selection (MAS). In the current study, we constructed the first chromosome-level genome of S. grahami, assembled 48 pseudo-chromosomes, and obtained a genome assembly of 1.49 Gb. We also performed QTL-seq analysis of S. grahami using the highest and lowest bulks (i.e., largest and smallest size) in both a sibling and random population. We screened two quantitative trait loci (QTLs) (Chr3, 14.9–39.1 Mb and Chr17, 4.1–27.4 Mb) as the major growth-related locations. Several candidate genes (e.g., map2k5, stat1, phf21a, sox6, and smad6) were also identified, with functions related to growth, such as cell differentiation, neuronal development, skeletal muscle development, chondrogenesis, and immunity. These results built a solid foundation for in-depth MAS studies on the growth traits of S. grahami.
A new species of the genus Atelopus, Atelopus fronterizo sp. nov. , from eastern Panama is described herein based on molecular, morphological, and bioacoustic evidence. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners occurring in the region by a combination of the following characters: (1) phalangeal reduction in thumb; (2) SVL (females only) (35.1–50.1; n=13), HW/SVL (0.23–0.34; n=59), EYND/HW (0.27–0.39; n=60), TIBL/SVL (0.41–0.56; n=58), and HAL/SVL (0.22–0.28; n=49); (3) dorsal color pattern with green or yellow background and extensive dark olive blotches forming transversal bands or mottling; (4) advertisement call duration 176–235 ms with 19–34 pulses, average pulse rate 131.69 pulses/s, and dominant frequency 2 422.50–2 606.50 Hz. The new species is nested within the Central American clade of Atelopus. The minimum Kimura‐2‐parameter (K2P) genetic divergence between Atelopus fronterizo sp. nov. and its most phylogenetically similar congeners (A. certus and A. glyphus) is >2.6% for 16S and >4.9% for COI (
). The phylogenetic relationship is strongly supported by ultrafast bootstrap values for the maximum-likelihood trees of both genetic markers (16S, 96; COI, 100,
). Bayesian analysis of the concatenated sequences resulted in a tree with similar topology and high posterior probability support (0.99; Supplementary Figure S1). In addition, haplotype networks inferred from COI and 16S (Supplementary Figure S2) showed a well-separated clade containing the new species (two for COI, four for 16S). The number of mutational steps between haplotypes for the new species samples is very low (1–4 in 16S; one in COI), and the minimum number of mutational steps from the nearest species is nine for 16S (distance to A. certus) and 28 for COI (distance to A. glyphus).
DNA studies of endangered or extinct species often rely on ancient or degraded remains. The majority of ancient DNA (aDNA) extraction protocols focus on skeletal elements, with skin and hair samples rarely explored. Similar to that found in bones and teeth, DNA extracted from historical or ancient skin and fur samples is also extremely fragmented with low endogenous content due to natural degradation processes. Thus, the development of effective DNA extraction methods is required for these materials. Here, we compared the performance of two DNA extraction protocols (commercial and custom laboratory aDNA methods) on hair and skin samples from decades-old museum specimens to Iron Age archaeological material. We found that apart from the impact sample-specific taphonomic and handling history has on the quantity and quality of DNA preservation, skin yielded more endogenous DNA than hair of the samples and protocols tested. While both methods recovered DNA from ancient soft tissue, the laboratory method performed better overall in terms of DNA yield and quality, which was primarily due to the poorer performance of the commercial binding buffer in recovering aDNA.
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doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.368
Parabiosis is a surgical method of animal modeling with a long history. It has been widely used in medical research, particularly in the fields of aging, stem cells, neuroscience, and immunity in the past two decades. The protocols for parabiosis have been improved many times and are now widely accepted. However, researchers need to consider many details, from surgical operation to perioperative management, to reduce mortality and maintain the parabiosis union. Although parabiosis has certain inevitable limitations, it still has broad application prospects as an irreplaceable animal model in the medical research field.
Vol 42, No 2 (18 March 2021)
Indexed by SCI-E
2019 影响因子 2.638
12/168 Zoology (Q1)
2020 Journal Citation Reports®
双月刊, 始于 1980
主编: Yong-Gang Yao
ISSN 2095-8137
CN 53-1229/Q
期刊动态More >
- “2021动物学前沿论坛”第2轮通知New
- Acknowledgments to reviewers of Zoological Research
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- Zoological Research入选2018百种中国杰出学术期刊
- Zoological Research喜获首个影响因子
- 中国科学院昆明动物研究所六十周年纪念系列活动—— “2019动物学前沿论坛”在云南昆明召开
- 2019年度 Zoological Research编委扩大会议在昆明召开
- 昆明动物所60周年所庆系列活动——“2019动物学前沿论坛”第3轮通知
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- 2018第八届灵长类生物医学国际研讨会会议邀请
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