catena-Poly[[tetra­kis­(1H-pyrazole-κN 2)copper(II)]-μ-hexa­fluoridosilicato-κ2 F:F′]

In the title one-dimensional coordination polymer, [Cu(SiF6)(C3H4N2)4]n, the CuII atom is coordinated by two hexafluoridosilicate F atoms and four pyrazole N atoms in a distorted trans-CuF2N4 octa­hedral environment. The dihedral angle between the planes of the pyrazlole rings in the asymmetric unit is 74.4 (3)°. The hexa­fluoridosilicate dianion acts as a bridging ligand, connecting the CuII atoms into a [1-10] chain. The Cu and Si atoms lie on special positions with 2/m site symmetry. In the crystal, intra­chain N—H⋯F hydrogen bonds occur and weak C—H⋯F inter­actions link the chains

catena-Poly[[[diaquadiformatonickel(II)]-μ-1,4-bis(1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)benzene] dihydrate]

In the title one-dimensional coordination polymer, {[Ni(CHO2)2(C20H14N4)(H2O)2]·2H2O}n, the NiII atom lies on a crystallographic inversion centre. It is coordinated by two formate O atoms, two water O atoms and two N atoms from two 1,4-bis(1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)benzene (bzb) ligands, resulting in a distorted trans-NiN2O4 octahedral coordination geometry. The bzb molecule acts as a bridging ligand to connect the metal atoms into a chain propagating in [1-1-1]. The dihedral angle between the benzimidazole ring and the central benzene ring in the ligand is 38.16 (9)°. In the crystal, O—H...O hydrogen bonds crosslink the chains into (010) sheets

Genomic incompatibilities in the diploid and tetraploid offspring of the goldfish × common carp cross

Polyploidy is much rarer in animals than in plants but it is not known why. The outcome of combining two genomes in vertebrates remains unpredictable, especially because polyploidization seldom shows positive effects and more often results in lethal consequences because viable gametes fail to form during meiosis. Fortunately, the goldfish (maternal) × common carp (paternal) hybrids have reproduced successfully up to generation 22, and this hybrid lineage permits an investigation into the genomics of hybridization and tetraploidization. The first two generations of these hybrids are diploids, and subsequent generations are tetraploids. Liver transcriptomes from four generations and their progenitors reveal chimeric genes (>9%) and mutations of orthologous genes. Characterizations of 18 randomly chosen genes from genomic DNA and cDNA confirm the chimera. Some of the chimeric and differentially expressed genes relate to mutagenesis, repair, and cancer-related pathways in 2nF1. Erroneous DNA excision between homologous parental genes may drive the high percentage of chimeric genes, or even more potential mechanisms may result in this phenomenon. Meanwhile, diploid offspring show paternal-biased expression, yet tetraploids show maternal-biased expression. These discoveries reveal that fast and unstable changes are mainly deleterious at the level of transcriptomes although some offspring still survive their genomic abnormalities. In addition, the synthetic effect of genome shock might have resulted in greatly reduced viability of 2nF2 hybrid offspring. The goldfish × common carp hybrids constitute an ideal system for unveiling the consequences of intergenomic interactions in hybrid vertebrate genomes and their fertility.publishe

Comparisons of adipogenesis- and lipid metabolism-related gene expression levels in muscle, adipose tissue and liver from Wagyu-cross and Holstein steers.

The intramuscular fat (IMF) content and fatty acid composition are important meat quality traits that are mostly affected by the cattle breed. Muscle, adipose tissue and liver are important organs involved in the development of intramuscular adipose tissue. Thus, we hypothesized that there were marked differences in the adipogenesis and lipid metabolism of these tissues between Wagyu-cross and Holstein steers during the finishing phases. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the expression levels of adipogenesis- and lipid metabolism-related genes in longissimus muscle (LM), subcutaneous fat (SCF) and liver from Wagyu-cross and Holstein steers at 26 months of age. The IMF content and fatty acid profile of LM were determined. Wagyu-cross steers had a higher IMF content and MUFA percentages in the LM than Holstein steers (P<0.05). The relative expression of FGF2, COL1A1, SREBP1c, SCD1, GRP78 and LEP was greater in the LM of Wagyu-cross steers than in Holstein steers (P<0.05). In contrast, Holstein steer SCF had higher (P<0.05) mRNA expression levels of FABP4 and ADIPOQ than Wagyu-cross steers. In the liver, the expression of SREBP1c and GRP78 in Wagyu-cross steers was significantly higher than that in Holstein steers (P<0.05). The results demonstrate that both intramuscular adipogenesis and fibrogenesis are enhanced in Wagyu-cross steers compared with Holstein steers during the finishing phase and that IMF deposition is positively correlated with the maturity of SCF and hepatic lipid accumulation in Wagyu-cross steers

Crossover between Anti- and Pro-oxidant Activities of Graphene Quantum Dots in the Absence or Presence of Light

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs), zero-dimensional carbon materials displaying excellent luminescence properties, show great promise for medical applications such as imaging, drug delivery, biosensors, and novel therapeutics. A deeper understanding of how the properties of GQDs interact with biological systems is essential for these applications. Our work demonstrates that GQDs can efficiently scavenge a number of free radicals and thereby protect cells against oxidative damage. However, upon exposure to blue light, GQDs exhibit significant phototoxicity through increasing intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and reducing cell viability, attributable to the generation of free radicals under light excitation. We confirm that light-induced formation of ROS originates from the electron–hole pair and, more importantly, reveal that singlet oxygen is generated by photoexcited GQDs <i>via</i> both energy-transfer and electron-transfer pathways. Moreover, upon light excitation, GQDs accelerate the oxidation of non-enzymic anti-oxidants and promote lipid peroxidation, contributing to the phototoxicity of GQDs. Our results reveal that GQDs can display both anti- and pro-oxidant activities, depending upon light exposure, which will be useful in guiding the safe application and development of potential anticancer/antibacterial applications for GQDs