ALBERT

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Xing-Wei Xiang, Jin-Xing Xiao, Yu-Fang Zhou, Bin Zheng, Zheng-Shun Wen〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉The black seabream (〈em〉Sparus macrocephlus〈/em〉) is an economically pivotal aquaculture species cultured in China and Southeast Asian countries. To understand the molecular immune mechanisms underlying the response to 〈em〉Vibrio parahaemolyticus〈/em〉, a comparative gene transcription analysis were performed with utilized fresh livers of 〈em〉V. parahaemolyticus〈/em〉-immunized 〈em〉Sparus macrocephlus〈/em〉 with a control group through RNA-Seq technology. A total of 256663 contigs were obtained after excluded the low-quality sequences and assembly. The average length of contigs collected from this research is 1066.93 bp. Furthermore, blast analysis indicates 30747 contigs were annotated based on homology with matches in the NT, NR, gene, and string databases. A gene ontology analysis was employed to classify 21598 genes according to three major functional categories: molecular function, cellular component, and biological process. A total of 14470 genes were discovered in 303 KEGG pathways. RSEM and EdgeR were introduced to estimate 3841 genes significantly different expressed (False Discovery Rate〈0.001) which includes 4072 up-regulated genes and 3771 down-regulated genes. A significant enrichment analysis of these differentially expressed genes and isogenes were conducted to reveal the major immune-related pathways which refer to the toll-like receptor, complement, coagulation cascades, and chemokine signaling pathways. In addition, 92175 potential simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and 121912 candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected and identified sequencely in the 〈em〉Sparus macrocephlus〈/em〉 liver transcriptome. This research characterized a gene expression pattern for normal and the 〈em〉V. parahaemolyticus〈/em〉 -immunized 〈em〉Sparus macrocephlus〈/em〉 for the first time and not only sheds new light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the host-〈em〉V. parahaemolyticus〈/em〉 interaction but contribute to facilitate future studies on 〈em〉Sparus macrocephlus〈/em〉 gene expression and functional genomics.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Yi-Hong Chen, Jian-Guo He〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉The shrimp aquaculture industry is plagued by disease. Due to the lack of deep understanding of the relationship between innate immune mechanism and environmental adaptation mechanism, it is difficult to prevent and control the diseases of shrimp. The shrimp innate immune system has received much recent attention, and the functions of the humoral immune response and the cellular immune response have been preliminarily characterized. The role of environmental stress in shrimp disease has also been investigated recently, attempting to clarify the interactions among the innate immune response, the environmental stress response, and disease. Both the innate immune response and the environmental stress response have a complex relationship with shrimp diseases. Although these systems are important safeguards, allowing shrimp to adapt to adverse environments and resist infection, some pathogens, such as white spot syndrome virus, hijack these host systems. As shrimp lack an adaptive immune system, immunization therapy cannot be used to prevent and control shrimp disease. However, shrimp diseases can be controlled using ecological techniques. These techniques, which are based on the innate immune response and the environmental stress response, significantly reduce the impact of shrimp diseases. The object of this review is to summarize the recent research on shrimp environmental adaptation mechanisms, innate immune response mechanisms, and the relationship between these systems. We also suggest some directions for future research.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Yinnan Mu, Shimin Zhou, Ning Ding, Jingqun Ao, Xinhua Chen〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Chemokines are a superfamily of structurally related chemotactic cytokines exerting significant roles in regulating cell migration and activation. Currently, five subgroups of fish specific CXC chemokines, named CXCL_F1-CXCL_F5, have been identified in teleost fish. However, understanding of the functions of these fish specific CXC chemokines is still limited. Here, a new member of fish specific CXC chemokines, 〈em〉Lc〈/em〉CXCL_F6, was cloned from large yellow croaker 〈em〉Larimichthys crocea〈/em〉. Its open reading frame (ORF) is 369 nucleotides long, encoding a peptide of 122 amino acids (aa). The deduced 〈em〉Lc〈/em〉CXCL_F6 protein contains a 19-aa signal peptide and a 103-aa mature polypeptide, which has four conserved cysteine residues (C〈sup〉28〈/sup〉, C〈sup〉30〈/sup〉, C〈sup〉56〈/sup〉, and C〈sup〉72〈/sup〉), as found in other known CXC chemokines. Phylogenetic analysis showed 〈em〉Lc〈/em〉CXCL_F6 formed a separate clade with sequences from other fish species, tentatively named CXCL_F6, distinct from the clades formed by fish CXCL_F1-5 and mammalian CXC chemokines. The 〈em〉Lc〈/em〉CXCL_F6 transcripts were constitutively expressed in all examined tissues and significantly up-regulated in the spleen and head kidney tissues by poly (I:C) and 〈em〉Vibrio alginolyticus〈/em〉. Its transcripts were also detected in primary head kidney leukocytes (HKLs), peripheral blood leucocytes (PBLs), and large yellow croaker head kidney (LYCK) cell line, and significantly up-regulated by poly(I:C), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and peptidoglycan (PGN) in HKLs. Recombinant 〈em〉Lc〈/em〉CXCL_F6 protein (r〈em〉Lc〈/em〉CXCL_F6) could not only chemotactically attract monocytes/macrophages and lymphocytes from PBLs, but also enhance NO release and expression of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and CXCL8) in monocytes/macrophages. These results indicate that 〈em〉Lc〈/em〉CXCL_F6 plays a role in mediating the inflammatory response.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Jinghua Chen, Lu Zhang, Ning Yang, Mengyu Tian, Qiang Fu, Fenghua Tan, Chao Li〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Galectins are a family of galactoside-binding proteins with an affinity for β-galactosides, involved in mediating fundamental processes including development, inflammation, cell migration and apoptosis. Galectin-4 is a member of tendem-repeat galectins, plays vital roles in intestinal epithelial barrier. Here, one galectin-4 gene was captured in turbot (〈em〉Sm〈/em〉Lgals4) contains a 1197 bp open reading frame (ORF). In comparison to other species, 〈em〉Sm〈/em〉Lgals4 showed the highest similarity and identity both to large yellow croaker. The genomic structure analysis showed that 〈em〉Sm〈/em〉Lgals4 had conserved exons in the CRD domains compared to other vertebrate species. The syntenic analysis revealed that galectin-4 had the same neighboring genes across all the selected species, which suggested the synteny encompassing galectin-4 region during vertebrate evolution. Subsequently, 〈em〉Sm〈/em〉Lgals4 was widely expressed in all the examined tissues, with the highest expression level in intestine and the lowest expression level in skin. In addition, 〈em〉Sm〈/em〉Lgals4 was significantly down-regulated in intestine following both Gram-negative bacteria 〈em〉Vibrio anguillarum〈/em〉, and Gram-positive bacteria 〈em〉Streptococcus iniae〈/em〉 immersion challenge. Finally, the 〈em〉rSm〈/em〉Lgals4 showed strong binding ability to all the examined microbial ligands. Taken together, our results suggested 〈em〉Sm〈/em〉Lgals4 plays vital roles in fish intestinal immune responses against infection, but the detailed roles of galectin-4 in teleost are still lacking, further studies are needed to be carried out to characterize whether galectin-4 plays similar roles in teleost intestinal immunity.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Yanxiu Mo, Yunpeng Fan, Wen Fu, Wenting Xu, Shujuan Chen, Yuanhui Wen, Shaojun Liu, Liangyue Peng, Yamei Xiao〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Previous research has indicated that the small compound, SP600125, could induce polyploidy of fish cells, and has established a stable tetraploid cell line from diploid fish cells. In order to explore how fish cells maintain homeostasis under SP600125-stress 〈em〉in vitro〈/em〉, this study investigates impacts of SP600125-stress on intracellular pathways, as well as on regulation of the cellular homeostasis feedback in fish cells. Transcriptomes are obtained from the SP600125-treated cells. Compared with unigenes expressed in control group (crucial carp fin cells), a total of 2670 and 1846 unigenes are significantly upregulated and downregulated in these cells, respectively. Differentially expressed genes are found, which are involved in innate defense, inflammatory pathways and cell adhesion molecules-related pathways. The SP600125-stress enhances cell-mediated immunity, characterized by significantly increasing expression of multiple immune genes. These enhanced immune genes include the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-ɑ, IL-6R), the adaptor signal transducers (STAT, IκBɑ), and the integrins (ɑ2β1, ɑMβ2). Furthermore, mitochondria are contributed to the cellular homeostasis regulation upon the SP600125-stress. The results show that acute inflammation is an adaptive and controlled response to the SP600125-stress, which is beneficial for alleviating toxicity by SP600125. They provide a potential way of breeding fish polyploidy induced by SP600125 in the future research.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Maciej Woźny, Kazimierz Obremski, Piotr Hliwa, Piotr Gomułka, Rafał Różyński, Paweł Wojtacha, Maciej Florczyk, Helmut Segner, Paweł Brzuzan〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉To investigate the effects of feed contamination with zearalenone (ZEN) at the current European Commission (EC) guidance value (2 mg⋅kg〈sup〉−1〈/sup〉 feed) on the growth and health of rainbow trout, we performed a long-term feeding trial under aquaculture conditions. It started with the external feeding of the fish larvae, and continued for 96 weeks, at which point the fish had reached market size. To assess the growth of fish and their feeding efficiency throughout this period, the fish were regularly weighed and measured, and their feed consumption was monitored. Additionally, to investigate potential health effects, after 72 weeks of the exposure to ZEN, the fishes' blood was analyzed for major hematological and biochemical indices, and their head kidney, spleen, and liver were examined for morphological, histopathological, cytological, and molecular changes. Finally, to gain insight into the metabolism and distribution of ZEN in fish, the content of free and glucuronidated forms of ZEN and its major metabolites was measured in the intestine, liver, and muscles of the exposed fish. The feed-borne exposure of rainbow trout to ZEN at a dose of 2 mg⋅kg〈sup〉−1〈/sup〉 feed resulted in higher feeding efficiency and growth rate, most probably due to the anabolic properties of the ZEN metabolite. Importantly for the consumers of fish, despite absorption and metabolism of ZEN in the digestive system of the fish that had been exposed for 72 weeks, the residuals of ZEN were not transferred to the fishes’ muscles, which rules out a potential risk to human health related to the consumption of fish meat. However, the increased growth of fish fed with the contaminated feed may come at some cost, as the exposure to ZEN was associated with modulation of key components of the adaptive and innate immune systems. Moreover, the trunk kidney of ZEN-fed fish showed massive inflammation that was likely caused by pathogen infection. These findings raise concerns about fish health under the current recommended EC guidance values.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉The small molecules thalidomide, lenalidomide, and pomalidomide induce the ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of the transcription factors Ikaros (IKZF1) and Aiolos (IKZF3) by recruiting a Cys〈sub〉2〈/sub〉-His〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 (C2H2) zinc finger domain to Cereblon (CRBN), the substrate receptor of the CRL4〈sup〉CRBN〈/sup〉 E3 ubiquitin ligase. We screened the human C2H2 zinc finger proteome for degradation in the presence of thalidomide analogs, identifying 11 zinc finger degrons. Structural and functional characterization of the C2H2 zinc finger degrons demonstrates how diverse zinc finger domains bind the permissive drug-CRBN interface. Computational zinc finger docking and biochemical analysis predict that more than 150 zinc fingers bind the drug-CRBN complex in vitro, and we show that selective zinc finger degradation can be achieved through compound modifications. Our results provide a rationale for therapeutically targeting transcription factors that were previously considered undruggable.〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Speleothem oxygen isotope records have revolutionized our understanding of the paleo East Asian monsoon, yet there is fundamental disagreement on what they represent in terms of the hydroclimate changes. We report a multiproxy speleothem record of monsoon evolution during the last deglaciation from the middle Yangtze region, which indicates a wetter central eastern China during North Atlantic cooling episodes, despite the oxygen isotopic record suggesting a weaker monsoon. We show that this apparent contradiction can be resolved if the changes are interpreted as a lengthening of the Meiyu rains and shortened post-Meiyu stage, in accordance with a recent hypothesis. Model simulations support this interpretation and further reveal the role of the westerlies in communicating the North Atlantic influence to the East Asian climate.〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉The pathologic accumulation and aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn) underlies Parkinson’s disease (PD). The molecular mechanisms by which pathologic α-syn causes neurodegeneration in PD are not known. Here, we found that pathologic α-syn activates poly(adenosine 5'-diphosphate–ribose) (PAR) polymerase-1 (PARP-1), and PAR generation accelerates the formation of pathologic α-syn, resulting in cell death via parthanatos. PARP inhibitors or genetic deletion of PARP-1 prevented pathologic α-syn toxicity. In a feed-forward loop, PAR converted pathologic α-syn to a more toxic strain. PAR levels were increased in the cerebrospinal fluid and brains of patients with PD, suggesting that PARP activation plays a role in PD pathogenesis. Thus, strategies aimed at inhibiting PARP-1 activation could hold promise as a disease-modifying therapy to prevent the loss of dopamine neurons in PD.〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Broadly neutralizing antibodies against highly variable pathogens have stimulated the design of vaccines and therapeutics. We report the use of diverse camelid single-domain antibodies to influenza virus hemagglutinin to generate multidomain antibodies with impressive breadth and potency. Multidomain antibody MD3606 protects mice against influenza A and B infection when administered intravenously or expressed locally from a recombinant adeno-associated virus vector. Crystal and single-particle electron microscopy structures of these antibodies with hemagglutinins from influenza A and B viruses reveal binding to highly conserved epitopes. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that multidomain antibodies targeting multiple epitopes exhibit enhanced virus cross-reactivity and potency. In combination with adeno-associated virus–mediated gene delivery, they may provide an effective strategy to prevent infection with influenza virus and other highly variable pathogens.〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Gut microbes live in symbiosis with their hosts, but how mutualistic animal-microbe interactions emerge is not understood. By adaptively evolving the opportunistic fungal pathogen 〈i〉Candida albicans〈/i〉 in the mouse gastrointestinal tract, we selected strains that not only had lost their main virulence program but also protected their new hosts against a variety of systemic infections. This protection was independent of adaptive immunity, arose as early as a single day postpriming, was dependent on increased innate cytokine responses, and was thus reminiscent of "trained immunity." Because both the microbe and its new host gain some advantages from their interaction, this experimental system might allow direct study of the evolutionary forces that govern the emergence of mutualism between a mammal and a fungus.〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉The synthesis of ultrasmall supported bimetallic nanoparticles (between 1 and 3 nanometers in diameter) with well-defined stoichiometry and intimacy between constituent metals remains a substantial challenge. We synthesized 10 different supported bimetallic nanoparticles via surface inorganometallic chemistry by decomposing and reducing surface-adsorbed heterometallic double complex salts, which are readily obtained upon sequential adsorption of target cations and anions on a silica substrate. For example, adsorption of tetraamminepalladium(II) [Pd(NH〈sub〉3〈/sub〉)〈sub〉4〈/sub〉〈sup〉2+〈/sup〉] followed by adsorption of tetrachloroplatinate [PtCl〈sub〉4〈/sub〉〈sup〉2–〈/sup〉] was used to form palladium-platinum (Pd-Pt) nanoparticles. These supported bimetallic nanoparticles show enhanced catalytic performance in acetylene selective hydrogenation, which clearly demonstrates a synergistic effect between constituent metals.〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Gradient structures exist ubiquitously in nature and are increasingly being introduced in engineering. However, understanding structural gradient–related mechanical behaviors in all gradient structures, including those in engineering materials, has been challenging. We explored the mechanical performance of a gradient nanotwinned structure with highly tunable structural gradients in pure copper. A large structural gradient allows for superior work hardening and strength that can exceed those of the strongest component of the gradient structure. We found through systematic experiments and atomistic simulations that this unusual behavior is afforded by a unique patterning of ultrahigh densities of dislocations in the grain interiors. These observations not only shed light on gradient structures, but may also indicate a promising route for improving the mechanical properties of materials through gradient design.〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Xin Cai, Chengbin Gao, Huanhuan Song, Ning Yang, Qiang Fu, Fenghua Tan, Chao Li〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Cathepsin Z (CTSZ) is a lysosomal cysteine protease of the papain superfamily. It participates in the host immune defense via phagocytosis, signal transduction, cell-cell communication, proliferation, and migration of immune cells such as monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells. In this study, we reported the identification of 〈em〉Sm〈/em〉CTSZ, a CTSZ homolog from turbot (〈em〉Scophthalmus maximus〈/em〉 L.). 〈em〉Sm〈/em〉CTSZ was 317 residues in length and contains a Pept-C1 domain. In multiple species comparison, 〈em〉Sm〈/em〉CTSZ shared 65–93% overall sequence identities with the CTSZ counterparts from human, rat, and several fish species. In the phylogenetic analysis, 〈em〉Sm〈/em〉CTSZ showed the closest relationship to 〈em〉Cynoglossus semilaevis〈/em〉. The syntenic analysis revealed the similar neighboring genes of CTSZ across all the selected species, which suggested the synteny encompassing CTSZ region during vertebrate evolution. Subsequently, 〈em〉Sm〈/em〉CTSZ was constitutively expressed in various tissues, with the lowest and highest levels in brain and intestine respectively. In addition, 〈em〉Sm〈/em〉CTSZ was significantly up-regulated in intestine following both Gram-negative bacteria 〈em〉Vibrio anguillarum〈/em〉, and Gram-positive bacteria 〈em〉Streptococcus iniae〈/em〉 immersion challenge. Finally, the 〈em〉rSm〈/em〉CTSZ showed strong binding ability to all the examined microbial ligands, and the agglutination effect to different bacteria. Taken together, these results indicated 〈em〉Sm〈/em〉CTSZ could play important roles in mucosal immune response in the event of bacterial infection in teleost. However, the knowledge of CTSZ are still limited in teleost species, further studies should be carried out to better characterize its detailed roles in teleost mucosal immunity.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Zhi Zhou, Zhaoqun Liu, Lingui Wang, Jian Luo, Hailang Li〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Giant clams are one of the most important animals in coral reef ecosystem, and its growth and reproduction are being threatened by heat stress due to global warming. In the present study, the symbiont density, the crucial enzyme activities and the transcriptome were investigated in the outer mantle of giant clam 〈em〉Tridacna crocea〈/em〉 after the acute exposure of high temperature. The density of symbiotic zooxanthellae decreased significantly during 12–24 h, with the minimum level (7.75 × 10〈sup〉5〈/sup〉 cell cm〈sup〉−2〈/sup〉, 〈em〉p〈/em〉 〈 0.05) at 12 h after heat stress. The activities of superoxide dismutase in the heat stress group was significantly lower than that in the control group at 24 h after heat stress, while no significant change in the activities of catalase was observed during the entire stress process. The activation level of caspase3 began to increase significantly at 12 h (1.22-fold, 〈em〉p〈/em〉 〈 0.05), and reached the highest level at 24 h (1.38-fold, 〈em〉p〈/em〉 〈 0.05) after heat stress. Six paired-end libraries were sequenced in two groups, including the heat stress and control group at 12 h after heat stress. Through the assembling of 187,116,632 paired-end reads with lengths of 2 × 150 bp, a total of 26,676 genes were obtained which derived from giant clam. Bioinformatics analysis revealed 47 significantly upregulated and 88 significantly downregulated genes at 12 h after the treatment. There were 12 overrepresented GO terms for significantly upregulated genes, mostly related to unfolded protein binding and ATP binding, whereas no GO term was overrepresented for significantly downregulated genes. These results collectively suggest high temperature could induce excessive oxidative stress through the repressed antioxidant ability, the apoptosis activated by the unfolded protein response, and further the collapse of the symbiosis between host and symbiont, which has been threatening the growth and reproduction of the giant clam 〈em〉T. crocea〈/em〉.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Zhi-qiang Du, Yue Wang, Hong-yu Ma, Xiu-li Shen, Kai Wang, Jie Du, Xiao-dong Yu, Wen-hong Fang, Xin-cang Li〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Crustins play important roles in defending against bacteria in the innate immunity system of crustaceans. In present study, we identified a crustin gene in 〈em〉Scylla paramamosain〈/em〉, which was named as 〈em〉SpCrus6〈/em〉. The ORF of 〈em〉Sp〈/em〉Crus6 possessed a signal peptide sequence (SPS) at the N-terminus and a WAP domain at the C-terminus. And there were 5 Proline residues, 5 Glycine and 4 Cysteine residues between SPS and WAP domain in 〈em〉Sp〈/em〉Crus6. These features indicated that 〈em〉Sp〈/em〉Crus6 was a new member of crustin family. The 〈em〉SpCrus6〈/em〉 mRNA transcripts were up-regulated obviously after bacteria or virus challenge. These changes showed that 〈em〉SpCrus6〈/em〉 was involved in the antimicrobial and antiviral responses of 〈em〉Scylla paramamosain〈/em〉. Recombinant 〈em〉Sp〈/em〉Crus6 (r〈em〉Sp〈/em〉Crus6) showed strong inhibitory abilities against Gram-positive bacteria (〈em〉Bacillus megaterium〈/em〉, 〈em〉Staphylococcus aureus〈/em〉, and 〈em〉Bacillus subtilis〈/em〉). But the inhibitory abilities against four Gram-negative bacteria (〈em〉Vibrio parahemolyticus〈/em〉, 〈em〉Vibrio alginolyticus〈/em〉, 〈em〉Vibrio harveyi〈/em〉 and 〈em〉Escherichia coli〈/em〉) and two fungi (〈em〉Pichia pastoris〈/em〉 and 〈em〉Candida albicans〈/em〉) were not strong enough. Besides, r〈em〉Sp〈/em〉Crus6 could strongly bind to two Gram-positive bacteria (〈em〉B〈/em〉. 〈em〉subtilis〈/em〉 and 〈em〉B〈/em〉. 〈em〉megaterium〈/em〉) and three Gram-negative bacteria (〈em〉V〈/em〉. 〈em〉alginolyticus〈/em〉, 〈em〉V〈/em〉. 〈em〉parahemolyticus〈/em〉, and 〈em〉V〈/em〉. 〈em〉harveyi〈/em〉). And the binding levels to 〈em〉S. aureus〈/em〉 and two fungi (〈em〉P〈/em〉. 〈em〉pastoris〈/em〉 and 〈em〉C〈/em〉. 〈em〉albicans〈/em〉) were weak. The polysaccharides binding assays’ results showed r〈em〉Sp〈/em〉Crus6 had superior binding activities to LPS, LTA, PGN and 〈em〉β〈/em〉-glucan. Through agglutinating assays, we found r〈em〉Sp〈/em〉Crus6 could agglutinate well three Gram-positive bacteria (〈em〉S〈/em〉. 〈em〉aureus〈/em〉, 〈em〉B〈/em〉. 〈em〉subtilis〈/em〉 and 〈em〉B〈/em〉. 〈em〉megaterium〈/em〉). And the agglutinating activities to Gram-negative bacteria and fungi were not found. In the aspect of antiviral functions, r〈em〉Sp〈/em〉Crus6 could bind specifically to the recombinant envelop protein 26 (rVP26) of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) but not to recombinant envelop protein 28 (rVP28), whereas GST protein could not bind to rVP26 or rVP28. Besides, r〈em〉Sp〈/em〉Crus6 could suppress WSSV reproduction to some extent. Taken together, 〈em〉Sp〈/em〉Crus6 was a multifunctional immunity effector in the innate immunity defending response of 〈em〉S〈/em〉. 〈em〉paramamosain〈/em〉.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Yunkun Li, Jiayu Wu, Dong Li, Anqi Huang, Guixian Bu, Fengyan Meng, Fanli Kong, Xiaohan Cao, Xingfa Han, Xiaofu Pan, Wei Fan, Shiyong Yang, Xianyin Zeng, Xiaogang Du〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉〈em〉Schizothorax prenanti〈/em〉 (〈em〉S. prenanti〈/em〉), an important species of economical fish in Southwest China, is susceptible to 〈em〉Aeromonas hydrophila〈/em〉 (Ah). To understand the immune response to Ah, the transcriptome profiling of spleen of 〈em〉S. prenanti〈/em〉 was analyzed after Ah infection. A total of 6, 213 different expression genes (DEGs) were obtained, including 3, 066 up-regulated DEGs and 3, 147 down-regulated DEGs. These DEGs were annotated by KEGG and GO databases, so that the immune-related DEGs (IRDs) can be identified and classified. Then, the interesting IRDs were screened to build heat map, and the reliability of the transcriptome data was validated by qPCR. In order to clarify the mechanism of signal transduction in the anti-bacterial immunity, the signaling pathway initiated by TLRs was predicted. In this pathway, TLR25 and TLR5 mediate the NF-κB and AP-1 signals via MyD88-dependent pathway. Meanwhile, the type I IFN (IFNα/β) induced by IRF1 and IRF3/7 may play an important role in the anti-bacterial immunity. In conclusion, this study preliminarily provides insights into the mechanism of signal transduction after Ah infection in 〈em〉S. prenanti〈/em〉, which contributes to exploring the complex anti-bacterial immunity.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Hongye Jiang, Qing Bian, Weiwei Zeng, Pengli Ren, Hengchang Sun, Zhipeng Lin, Zeli Tang, Xinyi Zhou, Qing Wang, Yingying Wang, Yensheng Wang, Mei X. Wu, Xuerong Li, Xinbing Yu, Yan Huang〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Grass carp (〈em〉Ctenopharyngodon idellus〈/em〉) hemorrhagic disease (GCHD), caused by grass carp reovirus (GCRV), has given rise to an enormous loss in grass carp industry during the past years. Up to date, vaccination remained to be the most effective way to protect grass carp from GCHD. Oral vaccination is of major interest due to its advantages of noninvasive, time-saving, and easily-operated. The introduction of oral vaccination has profound impact on aquaculture industry because of its feasibility of extensive application for fish in various size and age. However, the main challenge in developing oral vaccine is that antigens are easily degraded and are easy to induce tolerance. 〈em〉Bacillus subtilis〈/em〉 (〈em〉B. subtilis〈/em〉) spores would be an ideal oral vaccine delivery system for their robust specialty, gene operability, safety and adjuvant property. VP4 protein is the major outer capsid protein encoded by GCRV segment 6 (S6), which plays an important role in viral invasion and replication. In this study, we used 〈em〉B. subtilis〈/em〉 spores as the oral delivery system and successfully constructed the 〈em〉B. subtilis〈/em〉 CotC-VP4 recombinant spores (CotC-VP4 spores) to evaluate its protective efficacy in grass carp. Grass carp orally immunized with CotC-VP4 spores showed a survival rate of 57% and the relative percent survival (RPS) of 47% after the viral challenge. Further, the specific IgM levels in serum and the specific IgZ levels in intestinal mucus were significantly higher in the CotC-VP4 group than those in the Naive group. The immune-related genes including three innate immune-related genes (IL-4/13A, IL-4/13B, CSF1R), four adaptive immune-related genes (BAFF, CD4L, MHC-II, CD8), three inflammation-related genes (IL-1β, TNF-α, TGF-β) and interferon type I (IFN-I) related signaling pathway genes were significantly up-regulated in the CotC-VP4 group. The study demonstrated that the CotC-VP4 spores produced protection in grass carp against GCRV infection, and triggered both innate and adaptive immunity post oral immunization. This work highlighted that 〈em〉Bacillus subtilis〈/em〉 spores were powerful platforms for oral vaccine delivery, and the combination of 〈em〉Bacillus subtilis〈/em〉 spores with GCRV VP4 protein was a promising oral vaccine.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉The bulk of Earth’s biological materials consist of few base substances—essentially proteins, polysaccharides, and minerals—that assemble into large varieties of structures. Multifunctionality arises naturally from this structural complexity: An example is the combination of rigidity and flexibility in protein-based teeth of the squid sucker ring. Other examples are time-delayed actuation in plant seed pods triggered by environmental signals, such as fire and water, and surface nanostructures that combine light manipulation with mechanical protection or water repellency. Bioinspired engineering transfers some of these structural principles into technically more relevant base materials to obtain new, often unexpected combinations of material properties. Less appreciated is the huge potential of using bioinspired structural complexity to avoid unnecessary chemical diversity, enabling easier recycling and, thus, a more sustainable materials economy.〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Composite materials with carbon nanotube and graphene additives have long been considered as exciting prospects among nanotechnology applications. However, after nearly two decades of work in the area, questions remain about the practical impact of nanotube and graphene composites. This uncertainty stems from factors that include poor load transfer, interfacial engineering, dispersion, and viscosity-related issues that lead to processing challenges in such nanocomposites. Moreover, there has been little effort to identify selection rules for the use of nanotubes or graphene in composite matrices for specific applications. This review is a critical look at the status of composites for developing high-strength, low-density, high-conductivity materials with nanotubes or graphene. An outlook of the different approaches that can lead to practically useful nanotube and graphene composites is presented, pointing out the challenges and opportunities that exist in the field.〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Exploration of intermediates that enable chemoselective cycloaddition reactions and expeditious construction of fused- or bridged-ring systems is a continuous challenge for organic synthesis. As an intermediate of interest, the oxyallyl cation has been harnessed to synthesize architectures containing seven-membered rings via (4+3) cycloaddition. However, its potential to access five-membered skeletons is underdeveloped, largely due to the thermally forbidden (3+2) pathway. Here, the combination of a tailored precursor and a Pd(0) catalyst generates a Pd-oxyallyl intermediate that cyclizes with conjugated dienes to produce a diverse array of tetrahydrofuran skeletons. The cycloaddition overrides conventional (4+3) selectivity by proceeding through a stepwise pathway involving a Pd-allyl transfer and ring closure sequence. Subsequent treatment of the (3+2) adducts with a palladium catalyst converts the heterocycles to the carbocyclic cyclopentanones.〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Guang-hua Wang, Jing-jing Wang, Bin Yue, Xue Du, He-he Du, Min Zhang, Yong-hua Hu〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉High-mobility group box 2 (HMGB2) is a non-histone chromosomal protein that involved diverse functions such as transcriptional regulation and innate immune responses in mammalian. In teleost, very limited studies on HMGB2 proteins have been documented. Black rockfish (〈em〉Sebastes schlegelii〈/em〉) is an economic fish species and cultured worldwide. However, the study of black rockfish about immunology is very scarce. In the present study, a HMGB2 homologue gene (〈em〉SsHMGB2〈/em〉) was identified and characterized in black rockfish. The open reading frame of 〈em〉SsHMGB2〈/em〉 is 648 bp, and the deduced amino acid sequence of 〈em〉SsHMGB2〈/em〉 shares 74.4%–91.2% overall sequence identities with the HMGB2 proteins of several fish species. In silico analysis identified several conserved features, including two basic HMG boxes and an acidic C-terminal tail composed of 24 Asp/Glu residues. Expression of 〈em〉SsHMGB2〈/em〉 occurred in multiple tissues and was upregulated during pathogens infection. Recombinant SsHMGB2 (rSsHMGB2) exhibited apparent binding activities against DNA. 〈em〉In vivo〈/em〉 studies showed that the expressions of multiple immune-related genes in head kidney were significantly enhanced when black rockfish were treated with rSsHMGB2. Furthermore, rSsHMGB2 reduced pathogen dissemination and replication in fish kidney and spleen. Taken together, these results suggest that SsHMGB2 possesses apparent immunoregulatory properties and played a role in fighting bacterial infection.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Sai-Wei Chen, Chun-Hung Liu, Shao-Yang Hu〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Bacteria-induced diseases are a major cause of mortality in aquaculture. Probiotics have commonly been used to replace antibiotics for prophylactic biocontrol in aquaculture. In the present study, 〈em〉Paenibacillus ehimensis〈/em〉 NPUST1 was isolated from a tilapia culture pond. This probiotic has bacteriocin-like activities against 〈em〉Aeromonas hydrophila〈/em〉 and was characterized by biochemical analysis and 16S rDNA sequencing. The physiochemical properties of a crude extract of the bacteriocin-like substance revealed low pH and high thermal tolerance. The substance exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against diverse aquatic pathogens, food spoilage, clinical pathogens, and plant pathogens. The effect of dietary supplementation with 〈em〉P. ehimensis〈/em〉 NPUST1 was evaluated in regard to the growth of Nile tilapia (〈em〉Oreochromis niloticus〈/em〉) and immunity against pathogenic infection. The results showed significantly increased weight gain (WG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and feed efficiency (FE) in Nile tilapia fed 〈em〉P. ehimensis〈/em〉 NPUST1 for 2 months compared with fish fed a control diet. When challenged with 〈em〉A. hydrophila〈/em〉 and 〈em〉S. iniae,〈/em〉 the fish fed 〈em〉P. ehimensis〈/em〉 NPUST1 also exhibited a higher survival rate than fish fed the control diet. The immune parameters revealed that the 〈em〉P. ehimensis〈/em〉 NPUST1-fed fish had significantly higher phagocytic activity, respiratory burst, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) of the head kidney leukocytes, as well as higher serum lysozyme activity and expression of cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β than the fish fed the control diet. These results indicate that dietary supplementation with 〈em〉P. ehimensis〈/em〉 NPUST1 improved the growth performance, immunity, and disease resistance in Nile tilapia.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Cheng-cai Zheng, Xin-yi Cai, Meng-meng Huang, Idefonce Mkingule, Cong Sun, Shi-Chao Qian, Zhen-ju Wu, Bing-nan Han, Hui Fei〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Japanese eel (〈em〉Anguilla japonica〈/em〉) has become a commercially important fish species all over the world. High-density aquaculture has led to congestion and contributed to bacterial infection outbreaks that have caused high mortality. Therefore a 56-days feeding trial was conducted to determine the effects of dietary 〈em〉Bacillus amyloliquefaciens〈/em〉 (GB-9) and 〈em〉Yarrowia lipolytica〈/em〉 lipase2 (YLL2) on growth performance, digestive enzymes activity, innate immunity and resistance to pathogens of 〈em〉A. japonica〈/em〉. Fish growth performance was significantly affected by dietary YLL2 supplementation but not by GB-9. Fish fed diets with YLL2 at 2.0 g/kg diet in combination of high and low levels of GB-9 (5.0 g/kg and 2.0 g/kg) produced the highest growth. For digestive enzyme, lipase and trypsin activities was promoted by dietary containing YLL2, while amylase activities was increased by dietary containing YLL2, GB-9 single or combination. For innate immunity, the mucus lysozyme activity, leukocytes phagocytosis activity and reactive oxygen species level of skin, peroxidase and lysozyme activity of serum were enhanced in fish fed with GB-9 compared to those in control group (p 〈 0.05). The highest resistance to 〈em〉Vibrio anguillarum〈/em〉 and 〈em〉Aeromonas hydrophila〈/em〉 was determined in fish fed with 5.0 g kg〈sup〉−1〈/sup〉 GB-9 + 2.0 g/kg YLL2. This study demonstrated that GB-9 and YLL2 enhanced non-specific immune defense system of 〈em〉A. japonica〈/em〉, providing them with higher resistance to pathogens. The present results suggested that the combination of these supplements could be considered as potential biological additives for aquaculture farmed fish.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Xianyong Bu, Xuqiu Lian, Yi Wang, Chengzeng Luo, Shengqiang Tao, Yilu Liao, Jiaming Yang, Aijing Chen, Yuhong Yang〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉The aim of the present study was to investigate effects of dietary yeast culture on immune response related to TLR2-MyD88-NF-kβ signaling pathway, antioxidant capability and disease resistance against 〈em〉Aeromonas hydrophila〈/em〉 for Ussuri catfish (〈em〉Pseudobagrus ussuriensis〈/em〉). A total of 240 Ussuri catfish (mean weight of 7.39 ± 0.32 g) were randomly distributed into four groups that fed diets containing 0 (Y0), 10 (Y1), 20 (Y2) and 30 (Y3) g kg〈sup〉−1〈/sup〉 yeast culture for 8 weeks. The results indicated that dietary 10 g kg〈sup〉−1〈/sup〉 yeast culture supplementation significantly down-regulated mRNA levels of TLR2, MyD88, NF-kβ p65, IL-1β and IL-8 in the liver tissue compared with the control group (〈em〉P〈/em〉 〈 0.05). Simultaneously, serum lysozyme (LZM) activity, respiratory burst activity (RBA) of phagocytes, plasma alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activity and immunoglobulin M (IgM) content were significantly improved in fish fed Y1 diet (〈em〉P〈/em〉 〈 0.05). Fish fed Y1 diet had significantly higher serum alternative complement pathway activity (ACH50) and plasma complement 3 (C3) content than the Y3 group (〈em〉P〈/em〉 〈 0.05). However, no significant differences were observed in plasma acid phosphatase (ACP) activity and complement 4 (C4) content among the groups (〈em〉P〈/em〉 〉 0.05). Fish cumulative mortality rate (CMR) in the Y1 and Y2 groups were significantly lower than that in Y0 and Y3 groups (〈em〉P〈/em〉 〈 0.05), and the lowest CMR was observed in the Y1 group after challenge by 〈em〉A. hydrophila〈/em〉. The highest hepatic superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities, total antioxidant capacity and the lowest malondialdehyde content were found in Y1 group, but no significant difference was found in hepatic catalase activity among the groups (〈em〉P〈/em〉 〉 0.05). These results demonstrate that dietary 10 g kg〈sup〉−1〈/sup〉 yeast culture could effectively improve the immunity, antioxidant capability and disease resistance against 〈em〉A. hydrophila〈/em〉 for Ussuri catfish and could down-regulate the mRNA expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines modulated by TLR2-MyD88-NF-kβ signaling pathway.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Tao Wang, Xin Wen, Yadong Hu, Xinyu Zhang, Dan Wang, Shaowu Yin〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) are a new pollutant in aquaculture, representing a hazard to aquatic organisms. We investigated the effects of Cu NPs exposure on oxidative stress, apoptosis and immune response in an economically important model species, 〈em〉Takifugu fasciatus〈/em〉. The juvenile fish were exposed to control, 20 or 100 μg Cu NPs/L for 30 days. The growth of 〈em〉T. fasciatus〈/em〉 was inhibited after Cu NPs exposure. Copper accumulation in liver increased with increasing Cu NPs dose. Oxidative stress indicators [malondialdehyde (MDA), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH)], apoptosis index and activities of caspases (caspase-3, caspase-9) were all increased with the increase of Cu NPs concentration in liver. With an increase in Cu NPs dose, the activities of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and Na〈sup〉+〈/sup〉-K〈sup〉+〈/sup〉-ATPase as well as cytochrome c (Cyt-c) concentration in mitochondria decreased, accompanied by increased Cyt-c concentration in cytosol. Apoptosis-related gene expressions of 〈em〉p53〈/em〉, 〈em〉caspase-3〈/em〉, 〈em〉caspase-9〈/em〉 and 〈em〉Bax〈/em〉 were increased with the increase of Cu NPs dose. However, the opposite result was found in 〈em〉Bcl2〈/em〉 expression. The physiological indicators of immune response [heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), immunoglobulin M (IgM) and lysozyme (LZM)] as well as the mRNA levels of 〈em〉HSP70〈/em〉, 〈em〉HSP90〈/em〉, 〈em〉IgM〈/em〉 and 〈em〉C-LZM〈/em〉 were all increased after Cu NPs exposure〈em〉.〈/em〉 Our results will be helpful in understanding the mechanism of Cu NPs toxicity in 〈em〉T. fasciatus〈/em〉.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉 〈h5〉Graphical abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉〈figure〉〈img src="https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S1050464818306867-fx1.jpg" width="278" alt="Image 1" title="Image 1"〉〈/figure〉〈/p〉〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Junguo Ma, Xi Chen, Guangyuan Xin, Xiaoyu Li〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉The present study aimed to determine the chronic toxicity of 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium bromide ([C〈sub〉8〈/sub〉mim]Br) on the silver carp to further reveal the toxicological mechanisms of ionic liquids. Chronic exposure of silver carp to [C〈sub〉8〈/sub〉mim]Br at concentrations of 1.095 and 4.380 mg/L for 60 d was conducted under laboratory conditions. The results revealed that chronic exposure to [C〈sub〉8〈/sub〉mim]Br inhibited the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels while markedly increasing malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PC) levels in fish spleen, indicating that [C〈sub〉8〈/sub〉mim]Br treatment induced oxidative stress. Additionally, long-term exposure to [C〈sub〉8〈/sub〉mim]Br markedly upregulated the expressions of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interferon-γ (IFN-γ); altered the levels of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β); and increased the mRNA levels of p38MAPK, c-fos, c-jun, and c-myc, suggesting that long-term exposure to [C〈sub〉8〈/sub〉mim]Br might promote the inflammatory response in fish spleen and that p38MAPK/NF-κB signalling may potentially be involved in this process. Moreover, [C〈sub〉8〈/sub〉mim]Br-exposure altered lysozyme activity and complement 3 (C3) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) content, indicating that chronic [C〈sub〉8〈/sub〉mim]Br exposure also has immunotoxic effects on silver carp. Furthermore, we also found that [C〈sub〉8〈/sub〉mim]Br exposure reduced miR-125b levels, altered miR-143 levels, and upregulated miR-155 and miR-21 levels, suggesting that these miRNAs may be involved in the [C〈sub〉8〈/sub〉mim]Br-induced inflammatory response in fish spleen. In summary, the present study indicates that chronic exposure to [C〈sub〉8〈/sub〉mim]Br induces inflammation in fish spleen and that oxidative stress-mediated p38MAPK/NF-κB signalling and miRNAs may play a key role in this process.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Chaozheng Li, Shaoping Weng, Jianguo He〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉As invertebrates, shrimps rely on multiple innate defense reactions, including humoral immunity and cellular immunity to recognize and eliminate various invaders, such as viruses. White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) causes the most prevalent and devastating viral disease in penaeid shrimps, which are the most widely cultured species in the coastal waters worldwide. In the last couple of decades, studies about WSSV implicate a dual role of the immune system in protecting shrimps against the infection; these studies also explore on the pathogenesis of WSSV infection. Herein, we review our current knowledge of the innate immune responses of shrimps to WSSV, as well as the molecular mechanisms used by this virus to evade host immune responses or actively subvert them for its own benefit. Deciphering the interactions between WSSV and the shrimp host is paramount to understanding the mechanisms that regulate the balance between immune-mediated protection and pathogenesis during viral infection and to the development of a safe and effective WSSV defensive strategy.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Xin Zhang, Jialong Shi, Yulong Sun, Yusuf Jibril Habib, Huiping Yang, Ziping Zhang, Yilei Wang〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉In recent years, the abalone aquaculture industry has been threatened by the deteriorating environmental conditions, such as hypoxia and thermal stress in the hot summers. It is necessary to investigate the molecular mechanism in response to these environmental challenges, and subsequently understand the immune defense system. In this study, the transcriptome profiles by RNA-seq of hemocytes from the small abalone 〈em〉Haliotis diversicolor〈/em〉 after exposure to hypoxia, thermal stress, and hypoxia plus thermal stress were established. A total of 103,703,074 clean reads were obtained and 99,774 unigenes were assembled. Of the 99,774 unigenes, 47,154 and 20,455 had homologous sequences in the Nr and Swiss-Prot protein databases, while 16,944 and 10,840 unigenes could be classified by COG or KEGG databases, respectively. RNAseq analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) after challenges of hypoxia, thermal stress, or hypoxia plus thermal stress were 24,189, 29,165 and 23,665, among which more than 3000 genes involved in at least 230 pathways, including several classical immune-related pathways. The genes and pathways that were involved in immune response to hypoxia/thermal challenges were identified by transcriptome analysis and further validated by quantitative real-time PCR and RNAi technology. The findings in this study can provide information on 〈em〉H. diversicolor〈/em〉 innate immunity to improve the abalone aquaculture industry, and the analysis of the potential immune-related genes in innate immunity signaling pathways and the obtained transcriptome data can provide an invaluable genetic resource for the study of the genome and functional genes.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Thanthrige Thiunuwan Priyathilaka, S.D.N.K. Bathige, Seongdo Lee, Bo-Hye Nam, Jehee Lee〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are well-known pattern recognition receptors that play key immunological roles in a diverse range of organisms. In this study, two novel invertebrate TLRs from disk abalone (designated as AbTLR-A and AbTLR-B) were identified and functionally characterized for the first time. AbTLR-A and AbTLR-B comprised the typical TLR domain architecture containing an extracellular leucine-rich repeat domain, transmembrane domain, and Toll/interleukin-1 receptor domain. Expressional analysis revealed that both TLRs were constitutively expressed at all the early embryonic stages of disk abalone analyzed, with the highest level of 〈em〉AbTLR-A〈/em〉 found at the 16-cell stage and 〈em〉AbTLR-B〈/em〉 at the trochophore stage. According to tissue distribution analysis, prominent mRNA expression of 〈em〉AbTLR-A〈/em〉 and 〈em〉AbTLR-B〈/em〉 was detected in the hemocytes and gills, respectively. 〈em〉AbTLR-A〈/em〉 and 〈em〉AbTLR-B〈/em〉 mRNAs were significantly up-regulated in response to Gram-negative 〈em〉Vibrio parahemolyticus〈/em〉, Gram-positive 〈em〉Listeria monocytogenes〈/em〉, and viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus injections in abalone hemocytes and gills. Overexpression of AbTLR-A and AbTLR-B in HEK293T cells directly activated nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) responsive reporters. Neither TLRs showed a high response to pathogen-associated molecular patterns 〈em〉in vitro〈/em〉. Co-expression of AbTLR-A and AbTLR-B with AbMyD88-2 and AbMyD88-X activated NF-κB-responsive reporters in a synergetic manner. These findings demonstrate the involvement of AbTLR-A and AbTLR-B in abalone innate immunity.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Mona Saleh, Gokhlesh Kumar, Abdel-Azeem S. Abdel-Baki, Mohamed A. Dkhil, Mansour El-Matbouli, Saleh Al-Quraishy〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉〈em〉Ichthyophthirius multifiliis〈/em〉, a ciliated protozoan parasite, causes ichthyophthiriasis and leads to considerable economic losses to the aquaculture industry. Understanding the fish immune response and host-parasite interactions could support developing novel strategies for better disease management and control. Fish skin mucus is the first line of defence against infections through the epidermis. Yet, the common carp, 〈em〉Cyprinus carpio〈/em〉, protein-based defence strategies against infection with 〈em〉I. multifiliis〈/em〉 at this barrier remain elusive. The skin mucus proteome of common carp was investigated at 1 day and 9 days post-exposure with 〈em〉I. multifiliis〈/em〉. Using nano-LC ESI MS/MS and statistical analysis, the abundance of 19 immune related and signal transduction proteins was found to be differentially regulated in skin mucus of common carp in response to 〈em〉I. multifiliis〈/em〉. The analysis revealed increased abundance values of epithelial chloride channel protein, galactose-specific lectin nattection, high choriolytic enzyme 1 (nephrosin), lysozyme C, granulin and protein-glutamine gamma-glutamyltransferase 2 in 〈em〉I. multifiliis-〈/em〉exposed carp skin mucus. Multiple lectins and a diverse array of distinct serpins with protease inhibitor activity were identified likely implicated in lectin pathway activation and regulation of proteolysis, indicating that these proteins contribute to the carp innate immune system and the protective properties of skin mucus. The results obtained from this proteomic analysis enables a better understanding of fish host response to parasitic infection and gives insights into the key role skin mucus plays in protecting fish against deleterious effects of 〈em〉I. multifiliis〈/em〉.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Fufa Qu, Jianzhou Tang, Jinting Liao, Bei Chen, Peng Song, Wenjie Luo, Ding Xiong, Tianting Liu, Qianting Gao, Shuangqing Lu, Zhen Liu〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 6 (MKK6) is an essential component of the p38MAPK signaling pathway, which is involved in the modulation of inflammation, cell apoptosis and survival responses in mammals. However, the function of MKK6s in teleosts is still unclear. In this study, a fish MKK6 homolog (〈em〉Ci〈/em〉MKK6) was first identified from the grass carp (〈em〉Ctenopharyngodon idella〈/em〉), a freshwater fish. 〈em〉Ci〈/em〉MKK6 cDNA encodes a putative protein of 357 amino acids that contains conserved structural characteristics of the MKK6 family, including the S_TKc domain, SVAKT motif and DVD site. The deduced 〈em〉Ci〈/em〉MKK6 protein exhibits high sequence homology with other reported fish MKK6s and shares the closest relationship with MKK6 from 〈em〉Danio rerio〈/em〉. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed that 〈em〉Ci〈/em〉MKK6 mRNA was widely expressed in all tested tissues and stages of embryonic development. Additionally, the transcript levels of 〈em〉Ci〈/em〉MKK6 in the intestine were significantly upregulated in response to bacterial muramyl dipeptide (MDP) and L-Ala-γ-D-Glu-meso-diaminopimelic acid (Tri-DAP) stimulation. Moreover, subcellular localization analysis indicated that 〈em〉Ci〈/em〉MKK6 was distributed in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus of HEK293T cells. Finally, overexpression of 〈em〉Ci〈/em〉MKK6 significantly enhanced the transcriptional activity of the AP-1 reporter gene in HEK293T cells. Overall, these findings may help better clarify the immune function of teleost MKK6s and provide new insight into the immune defense mechanisms of grass carp.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Liting Wu, Shengli Fu, Xiaoxue Yin, Wenna Leng, Zheng Guo, Anli Wang, Jianmin Ye〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉Affinity maturation of the antibody response, a process of antibody affinity increasing over response, is one of the key features of the mammalian immune system. However, the process is incompletely understood in teleost, including channel catfish (〈em〉Ictalurus punctaus〈/em〉). In this study, IgM affinity maturation in channel catfish was investigated by estimating the kinetics of antibody affinity using ELISA and ELISPOT assays. Fish were immunized with a T-cell dependent antigen (TNP-KLH), and individual serum IgM antibody titers and affinities, and IgM〈sup〉+〈/sup〉 antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) in peripheral blood were analyzed over a period of 14 weeks. A detectable serum anti-TNP response developed by 2-weeks post-immunization, and the maximal antibody production was observed by 6-weeks post-immunization. The average affinity of anti-TNP serum antibody increased consistently and reached the maximum by 10-weeks post-immunization. The increase of antibody affinity beyond the point of optimal antibody titer revealed that the affinity maturation of IgM antibody response occurred in channel catfish. Dissection of dynamics of individual affinity subpopulations indicated that a significant proportion of low affinity subpopulations appeared at early response, and high affinity subpopulations appeared predominantly at later, resulting in a 100-fold increase in affinity over response. Additional, TNP〈sup〉+〈/sup〉 IgM〈sup〉+〈/sup〉 ASCs was detected by 2-weeks post-immunization and achieved the maximal number by 6-weeks post-immunization. Using an inhibition ELISPOT assay, the findings of a consistent increase in the average affinity of secreted IgM antibody by peripheral blood ASCs, as the immune response progressed, confirmed the occurrence of the affinity maturation. Taken together, the results of this study indicated that affinity maturation occurred in channel catfish following immunization with a TD antigen TNP-KLH.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Genomic DNA forms chromatin, in which the nucleosome is the repeating unit. The mechanism by which RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) transcribes the nucleosomal DNA remains unclear. Here we report the cryo–electron microscopy structures of RNAPII-nucleosome complexes in which RNAPII pauses at the superhelical locations SHL(–6), SHL(–5), SHL(–2), and SHL(–1) of the nucleosome. RNAPII pauses at the major histone-DNA contact sites, and the nucleosome interactions with the RNAPII subunits stabilize the pause. These structures reveal snapshots of nucleosomal transcription, in which RNAPII gradually tears DNA from the histone surface while preserving the histone octamer. The nucleosomes in the SHL(–1) complexes are bound to a "foreign" DNA segment, which might explain the histone transfer mechanism. These results provide the foundations for understanding chromatin transcription and epigenetic regulation.〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Interest in constructing composite materials from biosourced, recycled materials; waste resources; and their combinations is growing. Biocomposites have attracted the attention of automakers for the design of lightweight parts. Hybrid biocomposites made of petrochemical-based and bioresourced materials have led to technological advances in manufacturing. Greener biocomposites from plant-derived fiber and crop-derived plastics with higher biobased content are continuously being developed. Biodegradable composites have shown potential for major uses in sustainable packaging. Recycled plastic materials originally destined for landfills can be redirected and repurposed for blending in composite applications, thus leading to reduced dependence on virgin petro-based materials. Studies on compatibility of recycled and waste materials with other components in composite structure for improved interface and better mechanical performance pose major scientific challenges. This research holds the promise of advancing a key global sustainability goal.〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Animals constantly update their body posture to meet behavioral demands, but little is known about the neural signals on which this depends. We therefore tracked freely foraging rats in three dimensions while recording from the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) and the frontal motor cortex (M2), areas critical for movement planning and navigation. Both regions showed strong tuning to posture of the head, neck, and back, but signals for movement were much less dominant. Head and back representations were organized topographically across the PPC and M2, and more neurons represented postures that occurred less often. Simultaneous recordings across areas were sufficiently robust to decode ongoing behavior and showed that spiking in the PPC tended to precede that in M2. Both the PPC and M2 strongly represent posture by using a spatially organized, energetically efficient population code.〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Weihua Gao, Shuai Li, Qiaoqing Xu, Dashi Zhu, Qin Zhang, Kai Luo, Wenbing Zhang〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉The CXC chemokine receptors (CXCRs) play critical roles in innate and adaptive immune systems. In this study, six Asian swamp eel (〈em〉Monopterus albus〈/em〉) CXCRs (〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCR1–4) were identified and their molecular characterization and expression patterns were analyzed. The open reading frames (ORFs) of 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCR1a, 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCR1b, 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCR2, 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCR3a, 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCR3b, and 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCR4 were 1074 bp (base pairs), 1080 bp, 1125 bp, 1146 bp, 1083 bp, and 1140 bp, and encoded proteins of 357 aa (amino acids), 359 aa, 374 aa, 381 aa, 360 aa, and 379 aa, respectively. All these CXCRs have seven conserved transmembrane domains and four cysteines (with the exception of 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCR3b). Multiple sequence alignment revealed that the 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCRs possess a typical G-protein receptor family 1 signature and a DRY motif. There are also one to four potential N-glycosylation sites in the extracellular regions of the 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCRs, mainly distributed in the N-terminus and extracellular hydrophilic loop (ECL) 2 region. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCRs were clustered together with homologous proteins from other fish. Taken together with the amino acid identity and similarity analysis, these results suggested that the 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCRs are conserved with other homologous genes, in which CXCR4 is more conserved than CXCR1–3. The 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCRs loci showed conserved synteny among teleost fish, and we found that human CXCR1 shares a common ancestor with fish CXCR1a. 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCRs were constitutively expressed in a wide range of tissues (especially in immune-related tissues) with different expression levels, suggesting that the 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCRs have different roles in un-stimulated tissues, and may play vital roles under normal conditions. 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCRs showed different fold changes in the spleen after 〈em〉Aeromonas veronii〈/em〉 and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) challenge, which suggested that 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCR1a and 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCR3a have longer antiviral activities compared with their antibacterial functions, and that 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCR1b possesses stronger antiviral than antibacterial activity. 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCR4 may play vital roles during bacterial and viral infection; however, 〈em〉Ma〈/em〉CXCR2 has relatively small effect in antibacterial and antiviral responses. The differential responses of these genes to bacteria and poly I:C implied the differences in the mechanisms of defense against viruses and bacteria.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉Publication date: January 2019〈/p〉 〈p〉〈b〉Source:〈/b〉 Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Volume 84〈/p〉 〈p〉Author(s): Ye Yuan, Min Jin, Jia Xiong, Qicun Zhou〈/p〉 〈div xml:lang="en"〉 〈h5〉Abstract〈/h5〉 〈div〉〈p〉The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of different dietary dosage forms of copper supplementation on growth performance, hematological characteristics, antioxidant capacity, immune responses and gene expressions related to innate immune of juvenile Pacific white shrimp 〈em〉Litopenaeus vannamei〈/em〉. Three isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were formulated to contain three dosage forms of copper: copper sulfate (Diet I-Cu), copper sulfate + copper amino acid complex (1: 1, Diet M-Cu) and copper amino acid complex from Availa〈sup〉®〈/sup〉Cu100 (Diet Availa-Cu), respectively. 360 Pacific white shrimp juveniles (initial weight 1.86 ± 0.03 g) were randomly allocated in 12 tanks corresponding to quadruplicate tanks of the three dietary treatments, and the 8-week feeding trail was conducted. The results indicated that percent weight gain (PWG) and specific growth rate (SGR) in shrimp fed M-Cu diet were significantly higher than that fed I-Cu diet. Survival, feed efficiency (FE), protein efficiency ratio (PER) of shrimp were not significantly different between all treatment groups. High contents of total protein (TP) and glucose (GLU) were found in shrimp fed the diet containing M-Cu, whereas contents of cholesterol (CHOL) and triacylglycerol (TAG) in shrimp fed M-Cu diet were significantly lower than that in I-Cu diet group. In hemolymph, shrimp fed M-Cu diet had high activities of phenoloxidase (PO), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and acid phosphatase (ACP). While, Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD), ceruloplasmin (CP) and lysozyme (LZM) in hemolymph were not significantly affected by different dietary dosage forms of copper. High activities of Cu/Zn SOD, ALP, ACP and LZM in hepatopancreas were observed in shrimp fed M-Cu diet. Shrimp fed diet supplemented with Availa-Cu showed a significantly higher gene expression levels of Cu/Zn 〈em〉sod〈/em〉, 〈em〉alp〈/em〉, 〈em〉acp〈/em〉 and 〈em〉lzm〈/em〉 in hepatopancreas than that fed I-Cu diet. This study indicated that copper amino acid complex was more effective than copper sulfate to improve growth performance and enhance antioxidant ability and innate immune system.〈/p〉〈/div〉 〈/div〉

Description: 〈p〉We demonstrate that the chemical-feature model described in our original paper is distinguishable from the nongeneralizable models introduced by Chuang and Keiser. Furthermore, the chemical-feature model significantly outperforms these models in out-of-sample predictions, justifying the use of chemical featurization from which machine learning models can extract meaningful patterns in the dataset, as originally described.〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Ahneman 〈i〉et al〈/i〉. (Reports, 13 April 2018) applied machine learning models to predict C–N cross-coupling reaction yields. The models use atomic, electronic, and vibrational descriptors as input features. However, the experimental design is insufficient to distinguish models trained on chemical features from those trained solely on random-valued features in retrospective and prospective test scenarios, thus failing classical controls in machine learning.〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉The onset of inflammation is associated with reactive oxygen species and oxidative damage to macromolecules like 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG) in DNA. Because 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (OGG1) binds 8-oxoG and because 〈i〉Ogg1〈/i〉-deficient mice are resistant to acute and systemic inflammation, we hypothesized that OGG1 inhibition may represent a strategy for the prevention and treatment of inflammation. We developed TH5487, a selective active-site inhibitor of OGG1, which hampers OGG1 binding to and repair of 8-oxoG and which is well tolerated by mice. TH5487 prevents tumor necrosis factor–α–induced OGG1-DNA interactions at guanine-rich promoters of proinflammatory genes. This, in turn, decreases DNA occupancy of nuclear factor B and proinflammatory gene expression, resulting in decreased immune cell recruitment to mouse lungs. Thus, we present a proof of concept that targeting oxidative DNA repair can alleviate inflammatory conditions in vivo.〈/p〉

Description: 〈p〉Diet affects multiple facets of human health and is inextricably linked to chronic metabolic conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Dietary nutrients are essential not only for human health but also for the health and survival of the trillions of microbes that reside within the human intestines. Diet is a key component of the relationship between humans and their microbial residents; gut microbes use ingested nutrients for fundamental biological processes, and the metabolic outputs of those processes may have important impacts on human physiology. Studies in humans and animal models are beginning to unravel the underpinnings of this relationship, and increasing evidence suggests that it may underlie some of the broader effects of diet on human health and disease.〈/p〉