Enhanced inhibition of Avian leukosis virus subgroup J replication by multi-target miRNAs

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Avian leukosis virus (ALV) is a major infectious disease that impacts the poultry industry worldwide. Despite intensive efforts, no effective vaccine has been developed against ALV because of mutations that lead to resistant forms. Therefore, there is a dire need to develop antiviral agents for the treatment of ALV infections and RNA interference (RNAi) is considered an effective antiviral strategy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this study, the avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) proviral genome, including the <it>gag </it>genes, were treated as targets for RNAi. Four pairs of miRNA sequences were designed and synthesized that targeted different regions of the <it>gag </it>gene. The screened target (i.e., the <it>gag </it>genes) was shown to effectively suppress the replication of ALV-J by 19.0-77.3%. To avoid the generation of escape variants during virus infection, expression vectors of multi-target miRNAs were constructed using the multi-target serial strategy (against different regions of the <it>gag</it>, <it>pol</it>, and <it>env </it>genes). Multi-target miRNAs were shown to play a synergistic role in the inhibition of ALV-J replication, with an inhibition efficiency of viral replication ranging from 85.0-91.2%.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The strategy of multi-target miRNAs might be an effective method for inhibiting ALV replication and the acquisition of resistant mutations.</p

Finding needles in haystacks:Linking scientific names, reference specimens and molecular data for Fungi

DNA phylogenetic comparisons have shown that morphology-based species recognition often underestimates fungal diversity. Therefore, the need for accurate DNA sequence data, tied to both correct taxonomic names and clearly annotated specimen data, has never been greater. Furthermore, the growing number of molecular ecology and microbiome projects using high-throughput sequencing require fast and effective methods for en masse species assignments. In this article, we focus on selecting and re-annotating a set of marker reference sequences that represent each currently accepted order of Fungi. The particular focus is on sequences from the internal transcribed spacer region in the nuclear ribosomal cistron, derived from type specimens and/or ex-type cultures. Reannotated and verified sequences were deposited in a curated public database at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), namely the RefSeq Targeted Loci (RTL) database, and will be visible during routine sequence similarity searches with NR_prefixed accession numbers. A set of standards and protocols is proposed to improve the data quality of new sequences, and we suggest how type and other reference sequences can be used to improve identification of Fungi.The Intramural Research Programs of the National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine and the National Human Genome Research Institute, both at the National Institutes of Health.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA177353am201

Mapping genomic loci implicates genes and synaptic biology in schizophrenia

Schizophrenia has a heritability of 60-80%1, much of which is attributable to common risk alleles. Here, in a two-stage genome-wide association study of up to 76,755 individuals with schizophrenia and 243,649 control individuals, we report common variant associations at 287 distinct genomic loci. Associations were concentrated in genes that are expressed in excitatory and inhibitory neurons of the central nervous system, but not in other tissues or cell types. Using fine-mapping and functional genomic data, we identify 120 genes (106 protein-coding) that are likely to underpin associations at some of these loci, including 16 genes with credible causal non-synonymous or untranslated region variation. We also implicate fundamental processes related to neuronal function, including synaptic organization, differentiation and transmission. Fine-mapped candidates were enriched for genes associated with rare disruptive coding variants in people with schizophrenia, including the glutamate receptor subunit GRIN2A and transcription factor SP4, and were also enriched for genes implicated by such variants in neurodevelopmental disorders. We identify biological processes relevant to schizophrenia pathophysiology; show convergence of common and rare variant associations in schizophrenia and neurodevelopmental disorders; and provide a resource of prioritized genes and variants to advance mechanistic studies

Finding needles in haystacks : linking scientific names, reference specimens and molecular data for Fungi

DNA phylogenetic comparisons have shown that morphology-based species recognition often underestimates fungal diversity. Therefore, the need for accurate DNA sequence data, tied to both correct taxonomic names and clearly annotated specimen data, has never been greater. Furthermore, the growing number of molecular ecology and microbiome projects using high-throughput sequencing require fast and effective methods for en masse species assignments. In this article, we focus on selecting and re-annotating a set of marker reference sequences that represent each currently accepted order of Fungi. The particular focus is on sequences from the internal transcribed spacer region in the nuclear ribosomal cistron, derived from type specimens and/or ex-type cultures. Reannotated and verified sequences were deposited in a curated public database at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), namely the RefSeq Targeted Loci (RTL) database, and will be visible during routine sequence similarity searches with NR_prefixed accession numbers. A set of standards and protocols is proposed to improve the data quality of new sequences, and we suggest how type and other reference sequences can be used to improve identification of Fungi.The Intramural Research Programs of the National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine and the National Human Genome Research Institute, both at the National Institutes of Health.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/PRJNA177353am201

Mapping genomic loci prioritises genes and implicates synaptic biology in schizophrenia

Schizophrenia has a heritability of 60–80%1, much of which is attributable to common risk alleles. Here, in a two-stage genome-wide association study of up to 76,755 individuals with schizophrenia and 243,649 control individuals, we report common variant associations at 287 distinct genomic loci. Associations were concentrated in genes that are expressed in excitatory and inhibitory neurons of the central nervous system, but not in other tissues or cell types. Using fine-mapping and functional genomic data, we identify 120 genes (106 protein-coding) that are likely to underpin associations at some of these loci, including 16 genes with credible causal non-synonymous or untranslated region variation. We also implicate fundamental processes related to neuronal function, including synaptic organization, differentiation and transmission. Fine-mapped candidates were enriched for genes associated with rare disruptive coding variants in people with schizophrenia, including the glutamate receptor subunit GRIN2A and transcription factor SP4, and were also enriched for genes implicated by such variants in neurodevelopmental disorders. We identify biological processes relevant to schizophrenia pathophysiology; show convergence of common and rare variant associations in schizophrenia and neurodevelopmental disorders; and provide a resource of prioritized genes and variants to advance mechanistic studies

Six New Species of Leucoagaricus (Agaricaceae) from Northeastern China

Six new species, Leucoagaricus albosquamosus, Leucoagaricus atroviridis, Leucoagaricus aurantioruber, Leucoagaricus candidus, Leucoagaricus centricastaneus and Leucoagaricus virens, collected from northeastern China are described based on morphological characters and molecular evidence. Illustrations of fresh basidiomata and line drawings of key anatomical characters are provided. A phylogenetic tree inferred from internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and large subunit ribosomal RNA gene (LSU) sequences shows that three of the new taxa are nested within the section Leucoagaricus and two of the new taxa are in the subgenus Sericeomyces, whereas the other new taxus is clustered with Leucoagaricus viriditinctus and Leucoagaricus irinellus, forming a clade that does not fit in any known section

Six New Species of <i>Leucoagaricus</i> (Agaricaceae) from Northeastern China

Six new species, Leucoagaricus albosquamosus, Leucoagaricus atroviridis, Leucoagaricus aurantioruber, Leucoagaricus candidus, Leucoagaricus centricastaneus and Leucoagaricus virens, collected from northeastern China are described based on morphological characters and molecular evidence. Illustrations of fresh basidiomata and line drawings of key anatomical characters are provided. A phylogenetic tree inferred from internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and large subunit ribosomal RNA gene (LSU) sequences shows that three of the new taxa are nested within the section Leucoagaricus and two of the new taxa are in the subgenus Sericeomyces, whereas the other new taxus is clustered with Leucoagaricus viriditinctus and Leucoagaricus irinellus, forming a clade that does not fit in any known section

Updates on <i>Scleroderma</i>: Four New Species of Section <i>Scleroderma</i> from Southwestern China

The genus Scleroderma contains gasteroid basidiomycetes, which form globose spores with echinulate to reticulate ornamentation on the surface. Based on the morphological observations in combination with molecular data, four new species, S. erubescens, S. separatum, S. squamulosum, and S. vinaceum, were described from Yunnan, southwestern China. Images of fresh basidiomata and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of basidiospores are provided. Phylogenetic analyses based on ITS sequences show that these four new taxa belong to the Scleroderma section Scleroderma

Multi-gene phylogeny and morphological characters reveal seven new species of <i>Micropsalliota</i> (Agaricales, Agaricaceae) from southern China

The alignments and tree files for phylogenetic analysis.</p

A Simple Extraction Method of Young’s Modulus for Multilayer Films in MEMS Applications

Based on the first resonance frequency measurement of multilayer beams, a simple extraction method has been developed to extract the Young’s modulus of individual layers. To verify this method, the double-layer cantilever, as a typical example, is analyzed to simplify the situation and finite element modeling (FEM) is used in consideration of the buckling and unbuckling situation of cantilevers. The first resonance frequencies, which are obtained by ANSYS (15.0, ANSYS Inc., Pittsburgh, PA, USA) with a group of thirteen setting values of Young’s modulus in the polysilicon layer are brought into the theoretical formulas to obtain a new group of Young’s modulus in the polysilicon layer. The reliability and feasibility of the theoretical method are confirmed, according to the slight differences between the setting values and the results of the theoretical model. In the experiment, a series of polysilicon-metal double-layer cantilevers were fabricated. Digital holographic microscopy (DHM) (Lyncée Tech, Lausanne, Switzerland) is used to distinguish the buckled from the unbuckled. A scanning laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) (Polytech GmbH, Berlin, Germany) system is used to measure the first resonance frequencies of them. After applying the measurement results into the theoretical modulus, the average values of Young’s modulus in the polysilicon and gold layers are 151.78 GPa and 75.72 GPa, respectively. The extracted parameters are all within the rational ranges, compared with the available results