Plant BiologyPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-12-04DOI: 10.1111/plb.13747
M Höfer, M Schäfer, Y Wang, S Wink, S Xu
{"title":"Genome-wide association study of metabolic traits in the giant duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza.","authors":"M Höfer, M Schäfer, Y Wang, S Wink, S Xu","doi":"10.1111/plb.13747","DOIUrl":"10.1111/plb.13747","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The exceptionally high growth rate and high flavonoid content make the giant duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza (L.) Schleid. (Arales: Lemnaceae Martinov) an ideal organism for food production and metabolic engineering. To facilitate this, identification of the genetic basis underlying growth and metabolic traits is essential. Here, we analysed growth and content of 42 metabolites in 137 S. polyrhiza genotypes and characterized the genetics underpinning these traits using a genome-wide association (GWA) approach. We found that biomass positively correlated with the content of many free amino acids, including L-glutamine, L-tryptophan, and L-serine, but negatively correlated with specialized metabolites, such as flavonoids. GWA analysis showed that several candidate genes involved in processes such as photosynthesis, protein degradation, and organ development were jointly associated with multiple metabolic traits. The results suggest the above genes are suitable targets for simultaneous optimization of duckweed growth and metabolite levels. This study provides insights into the metabolic diversity of S. polyrhiza and its underlying genetic architecture, paving the way for industrial applications of this plant via targeted breeding or genetic engineering.</p>","PeriodicalId":220,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biology","volume":" ","pages":"18-28"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142765102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"MicroRNA-206-3p suppresses hepatic lipogenesis and cholesterol synthesis while driving cholesterol efflux.","authors":"Ningning Liu, Jing Tian, Clifford J Steer, Qinghua Han, Guisheng Song","doi":"10.1097/HEP.0000000000000672","DOIUrl":"10.1097/HEP.0000000000000672","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and aims: </strong>Hepatosteatosis, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypercholesterolemia are interconnected metabolic disorders. This study is designed to characterize how microRNA-206-3p (miR-206) simultaneously prevents de novo lipogenesis (DNL), cholesterol synthesis, and VLDL production in hepatocytes while promoting cholesterol efflux in macrophages.</p><p><strong>Approach and results: </strong>MiR-206 levels were reduced in hepatocytes and macrophages of mice subjected to a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet. A negative feedback between LXRα (liver X receptor alpha) and miR-206 is formed to maintain high LXRα and low miR-206 in hepatocytes. Systemic administration of miR-206 alleviated hepatosteatosis, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypercholesterolemia in mice. A significant reduction in LDL cholesterol and VLDL cholesterol but unaltered HDL cholesterol was observed in miR-206-treated mice. Mirroring these findings, miR-206 reprogrammed the transcriptome of hepatocytes towards the inhibition of DNL, cholesterol synthesis, and assembly and secretion of VLDL. In macrophages, miR-206 activated the expression of genes regulating cholesterol efflux. Hepatocyte-specific expression of miR-206 reduced hepatic and circulating triglycerides and cholesterol, as well as VLDL production, while transplantation of macrophages bearing miR-206 facilitated cholesterol efflux. Mechanistically, miR-206 directly targeted Lxrα and Hmgcr in hepatocytes but facilitated expression of Lxrα in macrophages by targeting macrophage-specific tricho-rhino-phalangeal syndrome 1 (TRPS1), a transcription repressor of Lxrα . By targeting Hmgc r and Lxrα , miR-206 inhibited DNL, VLDL production, and cholesterol synthesis in hepatocytes, whereas it drove cholesterol efflux by activating the TRPS1-LXRα axis.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>MiR-206, through differentially modulating LXRα signaling in hepatocytes and macrophages, inhibits DNL, promotes cholesterol efflux, and concurrently hinders cholesterol synthesis and VLDL production. MiR-206 simulates the functions of lipid-lowering medications, statins, and LXRα agonists.</p>","PeriodicalId":177,"journal":{"name":"Hepatology","volume":" ","pages":"111-125"},"PeriodicalIF":12.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72012754","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"ALDOB/KAT2A interactions epigenetically modulate TGF-β expression and T cell functions in hepatocellular carcinogenesis.","authors":"Chunzhao Yin, Cunzhen Zhang, Yongqiang Wang, Guijun Liu, Ningning Wang, Ningning Liang, Lili Zhang, Qiaochu Tu, Jingwen Lv, Huimin Jiang, Haoran Ma, Chenxi Du, Min Li, Xuxiao He, Shiting Chen, Jiacheng Guo, Shengxian Li, Jun Qin, Nan Li, Yongzhen Tao, Huiyong Yin","doi":"10.1097/HEP.0000000000000704","DOIUrl":"10.1097/HEP.0000000000000704","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and aims: </strong>Cross talk between tumor cells and immune cells enables tumor cells to escape immune surveillance and dictate responses to immunotherapy. Previous studies have identified that downregulation of the glycolytic enzyme fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase B (ALDOB) in tumor cells orchestrated metabolic programming to favor HCC. However, it remains elusive whether and how ALDOB expression in tumor cells affects the tumor microenvironment in HCC.</p><p><strong>Approach and results: </strong>We found that ALDOB downregulation was negatively correlated with CD8 + T cell infiltration in human HCC tumor tissues but in a state of exhaustion. Similar observations were made in mice with liver-specific ALDOB knockout or in subcutaneous tumor models with ALDOB knockdown. Moreover, ALDOB deficiency in tumor cells upregulates TGF-β expression, thereby increasing the number of Treg cells and impairing the activity of CD8 + T cells. Consistently, a combination of low ALDOB and high TGF-β expression exhibited the worst overall survival for patients with HCC. More importantly, the simultaneous blocking of TGF-β and programmed cell death (PD) 1 with antibodies additively inhibited tumorigenesis induced by ALDOB deficiency in mice. Further mechanistic experiments demonstrated that ALDOB enters the nucleus and interacts with lysine acetyltransferase 2A, leading to inhibition of H3K9 acetylation and thereby suppressing TGFB1 transcription. Consistently, inhibition of lysine acetyltransferase 2A activity by small molecule inhibitors suppressed TGF-β and HCC.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our study has revealed a novel mechanism by which a metabolic enzyme in tumor cells epigenetically modulates TGF-β signaling, thereby enabling cancer cells to evade immune surveillance and affect their response to immunotherapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":177,"journal":{"name":"Hepatology","volume":" ","pages":"77-93"},"PeriodicalIF":12.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138486219","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
HepatologyPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-03-27DOI: 10.1097/HEP.0000000000000858
Giuseppe Cullaro, Andrew S Allegretti, Cynthia Fenton, Jin Ge, Kavish R Patidar, Jessica Rubin, Arjun Sharma, Jennifer C Lai
{"title":"The association between mean arterial pressure and acute kidney injury reversal among patients with decompensated cirrhosis.","authors":"Giuseppe Cullaro, Andrew S Allegretti, Cynthia Fenton, Jin Ge, Kavish R Patidar, Jessica Rubin, Arjun Sharma, Jennifer C Lai","doi":"10.1097/HEP.0000000000000858","DOIUrl":"10.1097/HEP.0000000000000858","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and aims: </strong>This study informs how mean arterial pressure (MAP) impacts acute kidney injury (AKI) recovery among all patients hospitalized with cirrhosis, regardless of etiology.</p><p><strong>Approach and results: </strong>We identified incident AKI episodes among subjects in our cohort of patients with decompensated cirrhosis. AKI was defined as a ≥50% increase in creatinine from an outpatient baseline (≥7 days prior) that required hospitalization. Linear mixed effects models were completed to determine the impact between AKI recovery, MAP, and time. To determine the impact of MAP on AKI reversal, we completed time-dependent Cox regression models with time beginning at the time of peak creatinine and ending at death, discharge, or AKI reversal, among those hospitalized with AKI and those with persistent AKI (≥48 h) We identified 702 hospitalized patients with cirrhosis with AKI. We found those with AKI reversal had, on average, higher MAP (2.1 mm Hg, p <0.05) and a greater increase in MAP over time (0.1 mm Hg per hour, p <0.001). Among all 702 hospitalized patients with AKI and adjusted for confounders, each 5 mm Hg increase in MAP was associated with 1.07× the hazard of AKI reversal ( p <0.01). Similarly, among those with persistent AKI after adjusting for confounders, each 5 mm Hg increase in MAP was associated with a 1.19× greater likelihood of AKI reversal ( p <0.001).</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Our data demonstrate that MAP significantly increases the likelihood of AKI recovery regardless of severity or injury or AKI phenotype. We believe these data highlight the importance of MAP as a clinical tool to promote kidney function recovery among patients with cirrhosis hospitalized with AKI.</p>","PeriodicalId":177,"journal":{"name":"Hepatology","volume":" ","pages":"126-135"},"PeriodicalIF":12.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11427603/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140304203","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Molecular EcologyPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-11-11DOI: 10.1111/mec.17588
Eliza I Gilbert, Tracy A Diver, Steven M Mussmann, Melody J Saltzgiver, William K Knight, Scott L Durst, Michael A Farrington, Stephani L Clark Barkalow, Michael Tobler, Nathan R Franssen
{"title":"Why Is It Too Cold? Towards a Mechanistic Understanding of Cold-Water Pollution Effects on Recruitment of an Imperiled Warmwater Fish.","authors":"Eliza I Gilbert, Tracy A Diver, Steven M Mussmann, Melody J Saltzgiver, William K Knight, Scott L Durst, Michael A Farrington, Stephani L Clark Barkalow, Michael Tobler, Nathan R Franssen","doi":"10.1111/mec.17588","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mec.17588","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Environmental temperature shapes the ontogeny of ectotherms by influencing rates of growth and development which can be key determinants of survival. Whereas the escalating impacts of water management on freshwater ecosystems is well documented, the effects of cold-water releases from dams-which can alter downstream temperatures-remains relatively underexplored but may present novel challenges to endemic ectotherms. Specifically, little is known about how thermal depressions reshape phenotypic and genetic patterns during larval metamorphosis for fishes that evolved in warmwater systems. We assessed the effects of thermal shifts on larval ontogeny of the endangered razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus), which evolved in the warm waters of the Colorado River Basin, USA. We hypothesised that development is more sensitive to cold-water influences than growth and that temperature would influence patterns in gene expression related to development. Our results supported these hypotheses and showed that both wild and laboratory-reared larvae in slightly cooler temperatures exhibited delayed development, but similar growth compared to larvae reared in warmer conditions. These findings suggest growth and development in early ectotherm life stages can be decoupled, which follows patterns more like the temperature-size rule than allometric scaling of development by size. We also observed transcriptional differences related to genes associated with stress responses and development in our laboratory-reared fish; here, gene expression of fish from the coldest conditions at the end of the experiment was more similar to fish reared in warmer temperatures at the midpoint. Our findings suggest that modest temperature reductions can delay ontogeny and alter the transcriptional landscape while not necessarily limiting growth. This finding highlights the need for conservation practitioners to consider cascading impacts that even small temperature reductions can cause in riverine ecosystems.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":" ","pages":"e17588"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142613330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Molecular EcologyPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-11-15DOI: 10.1111/mec.17594
Ying Chen, Song Tan, Qiwei Xu, Jinzhong Fu, Yin Qi, Xia Qiu, Weizhao Yang
{"title":"Genomic Architecture Underlying the Striking Colour Variation in the Presence of Gene Flow for the Guinan Toad-Headed Lizard.","authors":"Ying Chen, Song Tan, Qiwei Xu, Jinzhong Fu, Yin Qi, Xia Qiu, Weizhao Yang","doi":"10.1111/mec.17594","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mec.17594","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>How divergence occurs between closely related organisms in the absence of geographic barriers to gene flow stands as one of the long-standing questions in evolutionary biology. Previous studies suggested that the interplay between selection, gene flow and recombination strongly affected the process of divergence with gene flow. However, the extent to which these forces interact to drive divergence remains largely ambiguous. Guinan toad-headed lizards (Phrynocephalus guinanensis) in the Mugetan Desert exhibit striking colour differences from lizards outside the desert and provide an excellent model to address this question. Through extensive sampling and whole genome sequencing, we obtained genotypes for 191 samples from 14 populations inside and outside the desert. Despite the colour differences, continuous and asymmetric gene flow was detected across the desert border. More importantly, 273 highly diverged regions (HDRs) were identified between them, accounting only for 0.47% of the genome but widely distributed across 20 (out of the total 24) chromosomes. Strong signatures of selection were identified in HDRs, and local recombination rates were repressed. Furthermore, five HDRs exhibited significantly higher divergence, which contained key genes associated with crucial functions in animal coloration, including pteridine and melanocyte pigmentation. Genes related to retinal cells and steroid hormones were identified in other HDRs, which might have also contributed to the formation of colour variation in the presence of gene flow. This study provided novel insights into the understanding of the evolutionary mechanisms of genetic divergence in the presence of gene flow.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":" ","pages":"e17594"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142643567","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Molecular EcologyPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-11-05DOI: 10.1111/mec.17581
Kamil Konowalik, Salvatore Tomasello, Jacek Urbaniak
{"title":"Genetic Diversity and Ecogeographical Niche Overlap Among Hybridising Ox-Eye Daisies (Leucanthemum, Asteraceae) in the Carpathian Mountains: The Impact of Anthropogenic Disturbances.","authors":"Kamil Konowalik, Salvatore Tomasello, Jacek Urbaniak","doi":"10.1111/mec.17581","DOIUrl":"10.1111/mec.17581","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Climate change and human influence are transforming mountain ecosystems, significantly impacting species distributions and biodiversity. Among these changes, the upward migration of lowland species into mountain regions stands out. This study examines the ecogeographical niche overlap and genetic diversity among three Leucanthemum species distributed along an altitudinal gradient in the Carpathian Mountains: the lowland L. ircutianum (4x), the montane L. rotundifolium (2x) and the alpine L. gaudinii (2x). By genotyping over 600 individuals using SNP analysis, followed by principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), Neighbour-Net Network and Structure clustering, we reveal not just distinct genetic groups but also hybridisation across all species, suggesting the potential for triple hybrids. Genetic admixture is further supported by environmental background and niche overlap analyses that reveal substantial overlap among species, particularly in line with their vertical distribution. Climate envelope plots indicate a likely reduction in available habitat for mountainous species due to climate change, leading to an increase in competition and an intensification of hybridisation. Anthropogenic influences are further intensifying these hybridisation trends. Among the studied species, L. gaudinii is most at risk of overwhelming hybridisation, whereas L. ircutianum may experience habitat expansion. By providing a comprehensive genetic and ecological overview, our research highlights the significance of hybridisation in biodiversity conservation and the challenges posed by environmental changes and anthropogenic activities in mountain environments. This study not only contributes to the understanding of genetic diversity in the Carpathians but also underscores the broader implications for molecular ecology and conservation strategies in mountain ecosystems.</p>","PeriodicalId":210,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Ecology","volume":" ","pages":"e17581"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142581562","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Plant BiologyPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-11-13DOI: 10.1111/plb.13742
M M Strelin, S S Gavini, N C Soares, V R Chalcoff, M A Aizen, E E Zattara, G L Gleiser
{"title":"Exploring the influences of resource limitation and plant aging on pollen development in Azorella nivalis Phil. (Apiaceae), a long-lived high-Andean cushion plant.","authors":"M M Strelin, S S Gavini, N C Soares, V R Chalcoff, M A Aizen, E E Zattara, G L Gleiser","doi":"10.1111/plb.13742","DOIUrl":"10.1111/plb.13742","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Angiosperm pollen, the male gametophyte, plays a crucial role in facilitating fertilization by protecting and transporting male sperm cells to the female pistil. Despite their seemingly simple structure, pollen grains undergo intricate development to produce viable sperm cells capable of fertilizing the egg cell. Factors such as resource limitation and plant aging can disrupt normal pollen development and affect pollen performance. We investigated the influence of plant resources and aging on pollen developmental failure in Azorella nivalis Phil., an exceptionally long-lived high-Andean species that grows in a stressful alpine environment. Leveraging the modular nature of plants, we aimed to identify intra-individual sources of variation in pollen developmental failure. By using pollen viability and variation in viable pollen grain size as indicators of pollen developmental performance, we assessed whether proxies of plant resource availability and aging influenced these pollen traits at the inter-individual, inter-flower and intra-flower levels. Our findings revealed decreased pollen viability in putative resource-depleted flowers and in shoots that experienced higher levels of meristematic divisions from the zygote (i.e., greater cell depth). Additionally, we observed increased variability in the size of viable pollen grains in resource-depleted anthers. Our study suggests that resource availability and shoot aging are critical determinants shaping pollen development in long-lived plants at the intra-individual level. These findings contribute to our understanding of how differences in male fitness can arise in plants, with implications for their evolutionary trajectory.</p>","PeriodicalId":220,"journal":{"name":"Plant Biology","volume":" ","pages":"154-162"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142613314","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Editorial: Understanding the Trade-Offs When Considering Positivity Threshold of Faecal Immunochemical Tests.","authors":"Thomas F Imperiale","doi":"10.1111/apt.18355","DOIUrl":"10.1111/apt.18355","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":121,"journal":{"name":"Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics","volume":" ","pages":"202-203"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142491459","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}