Ser 71 phosphorylation inhibits actin-binding of profilin-1 and its apoptosis-sensitizing activity

The essential actin-binding factor profilin-1 (Pfn1) is a non-classical tumor suppressor with the abilities toboth inhibit cellular proliferation and augment chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. Besides actin, Pfn1 interacts with proteins harboring the poly-L-proline (PLP) motifs. Our recent work demonstrated that both nuclear localization and PLP-binding are required for tumor growth inhibition by Pfn1, and this is at least partially due to Pfn1 association with the PLP-containing ENL protein in the Super Elongation Complex (SEC) and the transcriptional inhibition of pro-cancer genes. In this paper, by identifying a phosphorylation event of Pfn1 at Se

Factors Affecting Spatial Variation of Annual Apparent Q10 of Soil Respiration in Two Warm Temperate Forests

A range of factors has been identified that affect the temperature sensitivity (Q10 values) of the soil-to-atmosphere CO2 flux. However, the factors influencing the spatial distribution of Q10values within warm temperate forests are poorly understood. In this study, we examined the spatial variation of Q10 values and its controlling factors in both a naturally regenerated oak forest (OF) and a pine plantation (PP). Q10 values were determined based on monthly soil respiration (RS) measurements at 35 subplots for each stand from Oct. 2008 to Oct. 2009. Large spatial variation of Q10 values was found in both OF and PP, with their respective ranges from 1.7 to 5.12 and from 2.3 to 6.21. In PP, fine root biomass (FR) (R = 0.50, P = 0.002), non-capillary porosity (NCP) (R = 0.37, P = 0.03), and the coefficients of variation of soil temperature at 5 cm depth (CV of T5) (R = −0.43, P = 0.01) well explained the spatial variance of Q10. In OF, carbon pool lability reflected by light fractionation method (LLFOC) well explained the spatial variance of Q10 (R = −0.35, P = 0.04). Regardless of forest type, LLFOC and FR correlation with the Q10 values were significant and marginally significant, respectively; suggesting a positive relationship between substrate availability and apparent Q10 values. Parameters related to gas diffusion, such as average soil water content (SWC) and NCP, negatively or positively explained the spatial variance of Q10 values. Additionally, we observed significantly higher apparent Q10 values in PP compared to OF, which might be partly attributed to the difference in soil moisture condition and diffusion ability, rather than different substrate availabilities between forests. Our results suggested that both soil chemical and physical characters contributed to the observed large Q10 value variation

Differential Responses of Net N Mineralization and Nitrification to Throughfall Reduction in a Castanopsis Hystrix Plantation in Southern China

Background Many regions in the world are experiencing changes in precipitation pattern, which likely impact soil nitrogen cycling and availability. However, we know little about how soil nitrogen processes respond to drought stress under climate change. Methods A continuous 5-year experiment of throughfall reduction treatment (TRT) was conducted in a Castanopsis hystrix plantation in subtropical China to assess how soil nitrogen processes responded to a change in precipitation. Net nitrogen transformation, soil properties, microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen (MBN), and microbial community phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs as bacteria, fungi and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)) were investigated in the wet and dry seasons over the period of the manipulation experiment. Results TRT had no significant effects on net ammonification rate (NAR) and nitrogen mineralization rate (NMR), and the unchanged NAR and NMR were mainly caused by the no change of soil nitrogen availability (i.e. NH4+-N, NO3−-N and dissolved organic nitrogen). However, TRT significantly increased net nitrification rate (NNR) in the wet season primarily due to the increase in NO3− concentration, and might be further caused by reduced NO3− leaching, denitrification or NO3−-N uptake in the TRT. Differently, TRT significantly decreased the NNR in the dry season, which might be linked to the limited SWC that resulted in greater microbial nitrate immobilization than gross nitrate mineralization. In addition, TRT significantly influenced the soil microbial community composition in 0–10 cm soil layer in the wet season, primarily due to the variations in NO3−-N, DOC and DON. Conclusions Precipitation reduction affected the NNR rather than NAR and NMR, and consequently, further affected soil N availability and N uptake by Castanopsis hystrix

Immunometabolic regulation during the presence of microorganisms and parasitoids in insects

Multicellular organisms live in environments containing diverse nutrients and a wide variety of microbial communities. On the one hand, the immune response of organisms can protect from the intrusion of exogenous microorganisms. On the other hand, the dynamic coordination of anabolism and catabolism of organisms is a necessary factor for growth and reproduction. Since the production of an immune response is an energy-intensive process, the activation of immune cells is accompanied by metabolic transformations that enable the rapid production of ATP and new biomolecules. In insects, the coordination of immunity and metabolism is the basis for insects to cope with environmental challenges and ensure normal growth, development and reproduction. During the activation of insect immune tissues by pathogenic microorganisms, not only the utilization of organic resources can be enhanced, but also the activated immune cells can usurp the nutrients of non-immune tissues by generating signals. At the same time, insects also have symbiotic bacteria in their body, which can affect insect physiology through immune-metabolic regulation. This paper reviews the research progress of insect immune-metabolism regulation from the perspective of insect tissues, such as fat body, gut and hemocytes. The effects of microorganisms (pathogenic bacteria/non-pathogenic bacteria) and parasitoids on immune-metabolism were elaborated here, which provide guidance to uncover immunometabolism mechanisms in insects and mammals. This work also provides insights to utilize immune-metabolism for the formulation of pest control strategies

Distribution and speciation of dissolved iron in Jiaozhou Bay (Yellow Sea, China)

The distribution of total dissolved iron (DFe) and its chemical speciation were studied in vertical profiles of the shallow and semi-closed Jiaozhou Bay (JZB, China) during two contrasting periods: summer (July 19th, 2011) and spring (May 10th, 2012). Samples collected from the surface, middle and bottom layers were analyzed by competitive ligand exchange-adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry (CLE-aCSV). The mean DFe concentration during the summer period (median 18.8 nM ; average 20.7 nM) was higher than in the spring period (median 12.4 nM ; average 16.9 nM), whereas the spatio-temporal variation in spring was larger than in summer. The DFe-values showed distinct regional and seasonal differences, ranging from 5.6 to 107 nM in spring period and 13.4 to 43.4 nM in summer period. In spring, the highest DFe-values were observed in the eastern coastal region, especially near an industrial area (up to 107 nM), whereas the DFe distribution in summer was relatively even. Due to a tide influence, the vertical variations in the DFe and Lt in both seasons were not significant. On average, the Lt concentration (one class of ligand was estimated in all samples), was higher in spring (35.2 ± 23.4 nM) than in summer (31.1 ± 10.3 nM). A statistically significant correlation was found between Lt and DFe concentrations, it was higher for the summer period than for the spring period. The conditional stability constants (logK′) of organic complexes with iron were weaker in spring (11.7 ± 0.3) than in summer (12.3 ± 0.3). The concentrations of Lt were higher in comparison to DFe in all samples: the average [Lt]/[DFe] ratio in the spring and summer samples was 2.4 and 1.5, respectively. Speciation calculations showed that the DFe in the JZB existed predominantly (over 99.99%) in the form of strong organic complexes in both seasons

Microstructure and dielectric properties of biocarbon nanofiber composites

A kind of web-like carbon with interconnected nanoribbons was fabricated using bacterial cellulose pyrolyzed at various temperatures, and the microwave dielectric properties were investigated. Bacterial cellulose was converted into carbonized bacterial cellulose (CBC) with a novel three-dimensional web built of entangled and interconnected cellulose ribbons when the carbonization temperature was below 1,200°C; the web-like structure was destroyed at a temperature of 1,400°C. Composites of CBC impregnated with paraffin wax exhibited high complex permittivity over a frequency range of 2 to 18 GHz, depending on the carbonization temperature. Both real and imaginary parts were the highest for CBC pyrolyzed at 1,200°C. The complex permittivity also strongly depended on CBC loadings. For 7.5 wt.% loading, the real and imaginary permittivities were about 12 and 4.3, respectively, and the minimum reflection loss was -39 dB at 10.9 GHz. For 30 wt.% loading, the real and imaginary permittivities were about 45 and 80, respectively, and the shielding efficiency was more than 24 dB in the measured frequency range and could be up to 39 dB at 18 GHz. The electromagnetic properties were assumed to correlate with both the dielectric relaxation and the novel web-like structure

Global gross primary productivity and water use efficiency changes under drought stress

Drought can affect the structure, composition and function of terrestrial ecosystems, yet drought impacts and post-drought recovery potentials of different land cover types have not been extensively studied at a global scale. We evaluated drought impacts on gross primary productivity (GPP), evapotranspiration (ET), and water use efficiency (WUE) of different global terrestrial ecosystems, as well as the drought-resilience of each ecosystem type during the period of 2000 to 2011. Using GPP as biome vitality indicator against drought stress, we developed a model to examine ecosystem resilience represented by the length of recovery days (LRD). LRD presented an evident gradient of high (\u3e60 days) in mid-latitude region and low (\u3c60 days) in low (tropical area) and high (boreal area) latitude regions. As average GPP increased, the LRD showed a significantly decreasing trend, indicating readiness to recover after drought, across various land cover types (R 2 = 0.68, p \u3c 0.0001). Moreover, zonal analysis revealed that the most dramatic reduction of the drought-induced GPP was found in the mid-latitude region of the Northern Hemisphere (48% reduction), followed by the low-latitude region of the Southern Hemisphere (13% reduction). In contrast, a slightly enhanced GPP (10%) was evident in the tropical region under drought impact. Additionally, the highest drought-induced reduction of ET was found in the Mediterranean area, followed by Africa. Water use efficiency, however, showed a pattern of decreasing in the Northern Hemisphere and increasing in the Southern Hemisphere. Drought induced reductions of WUE ranged from 0.96% to 27.67% in most of the land cover types, while the increases of WUE found in Evergreen Broadleaf Forest and savanna were about 7.09% and 9.88%, respectively. These increases of GPP and WUE detected during drought periods could either be due to water-stress induced responses or data uncertainties, which require further investigation