Virulence Structure of the Wheat Powdery Mildew Population in Serbia

Powdery mildew is a common, economically important disease in the wheat growing area of Serbia. A large-scale virulence survey of its causal agent Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici population was performed in the period 1995–2013. A total of 1013 isolates were recovered from the collected chasmothecial samples. Among them, 862 unique pathotypes were identified using a differential set of 20 wheat lines with known powdery mildew (Pm) resistant genes. The pathogen was highly diverse. Number of virulence genes (virulence complexity) per isolate was large, supporting a constant need to extend the differential set of wheat with newly identified Pm genes. Virulence frequencies to Pm6, Pm7, and Pm5+8 were high throughout the 19-year period, in contrast with that to Pm5+6, which was consistently at a low level. The most significant change in the population was observed for virulence to the Pm2+4b+6 gene combination, with an increasing frequency of virulence to this gene combination over the years. High virulence complexity and genetic diversity of the population are the most influential factors for the damaging epidemics that this pathogen can cause.

Functional rejuvenation of aged neural stem cells by Plagl2 and anti-Dyrk1a activity

The regenerative potential of neural stem cells (NSCs) declines during aging, leading to cognitive dysfunctions. This decline involves up-regulation of senescence-associated genes, but inactivation of such genes failed to reverse aging of hippocampal NSCs. Because many genes are up-regulated or down-regulated during aging, manipulation of single genes would be insufficient to reverse aging. Here we searched for a gene combination that can rejuvenate NSCs in the aged mouse brain from nuclear factors differentially expressed between embryonic and adult NSCs and their modulators. We found that a combination of inducing the zinc finger transcription factor gene Plagl2 and inhibiting Dyrk1a, a gene associated with Down syndrome (a genetic disorder known to accelerate aging), rejuvenated aged hippocampal NSCs, which already lost proliferative and neurogenic potential. Such rejuvenated NSCs proliferated and produced new neurons continuously at the level observed in juvenile hippocampi, leading to improved cognition. Epigenome, transcriptome, and live-imaging analyses indicated that this gene combination induces up-regulation of embryo-associated genes and down-regulation of age-associated genes by changing their chromatin accessibility, thereby rejuvenating aged dormant NSCs to function like juvenile active NSCs. Thus, aging of NSCs can be reversed to induce functional neurogenesis continuously, offering a way to treat age-related neurological disorders.

Fan-shaped Spectrums of Species and Paleopolyploidy for Foundation of Crossbreeding Evolution

Although Darwin‘s evolutionary mutation theory has been widely accepted, many endeavors tried to challenge it. With more and more observation of successful hybridization and hybrids, the sexual isolation between species has become vague. The mechanism of evolution has been expanded from the classical model of evolution to multiple routes of speciation. Furthermore, a fundamental crossbreeding theory has been raised and proved by two lines of evidences: paleopolyploidy and fan-shaped spectrum of species. Ancient genome duplications are widespread throughout eukaryotic lineages, particularly in plants. The genome polyploidization can break through the sexual incompatibility between diploid counterparts to hybridize and produce new species. By comparing characteristics, all species in every taxon, both in the extinct fossil and extant organisms, can be arranged into fan-shaped spectrum according to their similarity: left primitive type-middle advanced type-right primitive type. The species are primitive at the two ends and advanced at the middle. The primitive two species always resemble two types of more primitive species that can be confirmed as their ancestors respectively, and the middle species is half similar to the two ancestors respectively. These suggest that the species in the spectrum come from two different ancestors by crossbreeding and gene combination. As a sum, advanced species originated from crossbreeding of two primitive ancestors, by major method of polyploidization, and proved by results of fan-shaped spectrum of species. Then, sex is the cause, force and opportunity for evolution.

Genotypic and phenotypic dissection of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae on Indica rice cultivars for bacterial blight resistance

Aim: To evaluate the level of virulence of different Xoo isolates/ pathotypes of Eastern and North-eastern India and to identify the suitable donors in rice cultivars having various R-gene combination against virulent Xoo races of Bacterial Blight disease of rice. Methodology: Thirty six Xoo isolates were collected from different places of Eastern and North-eastern India and genetic diversity/ similarity was examined by genotyping of pathotypes using JEL1/JEL2 markers. The 34 Indica rice cultivars carrying different R-gene combination were selected and grown in net house and inoculated artificially with Xoo inoculants from these races/ isolates bacterial of blight disease. Results: The selected 36 Xoo isolates of Eastern and North-eastern India were grouped into seven different isolates/ races based on their genetic diversity using JEL1/JEL2 markers. Among 34 Indica rice cultivars, three or more R-gene combination (xa5 + xa13 + Xa21 and/or Xa4 + xa5 + xa13 + Xa21) cultivars exhibited highly resistant as compared to cultivars with single and double gene combination cultivars against most of the Xoo isolates/ races. Interpretation: The cultivars may determine different level of resistance due to complementary effect of inheritance of suitable R-gene combination. Identified donors may be used for rice resistance breeding programme for Eastern and North-eastern India.

A prognostic score model based on eight metabolism-associated genes predicts the survival of adult females with lung adenocarcinoma

Background As a non-small cell lung cancer, lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is common in women and non-smokers. This study is aimed to construct a prognostic score (PS) model for adult females with LUAD. Methods The gene expression data of adult females with LUAD from The Cancer Genome Atlas database was obtained as the training set, and GSE50081 and GSE37745 from Gene Expression Omnibus database were downloaded as the validation sets. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between LUAD and normal samples were screened by limma package. The metabolism-associated DEGs were selected by Gene Set Enrichment Analysis, and were conducted with enrichment analysis using DAVID tool. After the independent prognosis-associated genes were identified by survival package, the optimal gene combination was screened using penalized package to build the PS model. Besides, the nomogram survival model based on the independent prognostic clinical factors was constructed by rms package. Using HPAanalyze package, the protein expression levels of the optimal genes were mined. Results There were 2388 DEGs between LUAD samples and normal samples. Totally, 150 metabolism-associated DEGs were screened, for which PPAR signaling pathway was enriched. The optimal gene combination (involving CYP17A1, ASPG, DUOX1, CIDEC, TH, B4GALNT1, APOA2, and GCKR) was selected, based on which the PS model was built. Combined with pathologic stage and PS model status, the nomogram survival model was constructed. Moreover, CIDEC was a characteristic gene in lung cancer and other cancers. Conclusion The PS model and the nomogram survival model might be applied for the prognostic prediction of adult females with LUAD.

Genetical influence on histological structure and chemical composition of muscular tissue in sheep

The effect of different genotypes kept in the same feeding level on microstructure and chemical composition of muscular tissue (musculus longissimus dorsi) of sheep has studied. The study aims to see how the gene combination of different breeds influences the mentioned problem. It was revealed that sheep muscular tissue obtained by crossing the North-Caucasian breeds (NC) and Texel (T) was characterized by a larger quantity of muscular fibres by 4.73 % and 10.14% (P<0.05), and a smaller diameter by 5.65 % and 18.6% (P< 0.05), a higher evaluation of marbling by 5.2 and 8.3 points, less connective tissue content by 0.8 and 1.3 absolute percentage compared to thoroughbred North-Caucasian and from crossing North-Caucasian with Poll Dorset (PD). It showed that meat obtained from crossing animals of the T?NC variant is more delicate, succulent, and has a total higher quality and consumer properties. The results of different crossing indicate the reasonability to use morphological characteristics of muscular tissue on the histological level when the quality of sheep slaughtering performance had evaluated.

IMMU-28. INDUCTION OF TERTIARY LYMPHOID STRUCTURE-LIKE T-CELL CLUSTERS BY DELIVERY OF A NOVEL GENE COMBINATION INTO AN IMMUNOCOMPETENT MOUSE MODEL OF GLIOBLASTOMA

The lack of conventional lymphatic drainage to and from the brain parenchyma restricts the capacity of the peripheral immune system to recognize and respond to glioma antigens. In some peripheral solid tumor types and central nervous system autoimmunity, the spontaneous development of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) with varying degrees of organization have been observed in human patients and mice following chronic inflammation. In the cancer setting, presence of TLS are generally associated with improved prognosis, especially when they are characterized by intratumoral infiltration of CD8+ T-cells. We aimed to induce the development of TLS in vivo, utilizing our SB28 glioblastoma model which is sparsely infiltrated by lymphocytes. As a proof-of-concept study, we stably transduced SB28 with a combination of several TLS-stimulating factors that we’ve identified and injected these cells into the brain parenchyma of syngeneic C57BL/6J mice. A combination of the chemoattractant and lymphoid follicle-stimulating cytokines LIGHT, CCL21, IL-7, and IL-17 produced substantial infiltration of CD8+CD3+ T-cells into the tumor and nearby parenchyma. However, this combination was also associated with accelerated tumor growth. A modified gene combination including LIGHT, CCL21, and IL-7 promoted CD8+CD3+ T-cell infiltration by flow cytometry, T-cell clustering by immunofluorescence analysis, and inhibited tumor burden compared with the control as measured by bioluminescent imaging. There was also evidence of increased lymphatic vasculature around the margins of T-cell clustering as demonstrated by LYVE-1 staining. Together, these analyses highlight a role for these factors in stimulating the recruitment and clustering of T-cell to the glioblastoma microenvironment in a TLS-like phenomenon. Future studies will evaluate whether the recruitment of other lymphocytes and stromal cells to these TLS-like clusters can promote T-cell memory and persistence. Ultimately, we aim to provide these factors utilizing a gene delivery method that will prove translatable to the clinic and complementary to existing T-cell therapies.

Fan-shaped Spectrums of Species and Paleopolyploidy for Crossbreeding Evolution

Although Darwin&lsquo;s evolutionary mutation theory has been widely accepted, many endeavors tried to challenge it. With more and more observation of successful hybridization and hybrids, the sexual isolation between species has become vague. The mechanism of evolution has been expanded from the classical model of evolution to multiple routes of speciation. Furthermore, a fundamental crossbreeding theory has been raised and proved by two lines of evidences: paleopolyploidy and fan-shaped spectrum of species. Ancient genome duplications are widespread throughout eukaryotic lineages, particularly in plants. The genome polyploidization can break through the sexual incompatibility between diploid counterparts to hybridize and produce new species. By comparing characteristics, all species in every taxon, both in the extinct fossil and extant organisms, can be arranged into fan-shaped spectrum according to their similarity: left primitive type-middle advanced type-right primitive type. The species are primitive at the two ends and advanced at the middle. The primitive two species always resemble two types of more primitive species that can be confirmed as their ancestors respectively, and the middle species is half similar to the two ancestors respectively. These suggest that the species in the spectrum come from two different ancestors by crossbreeding and gene combination. As a sum, advanced species originated from crossbreeding of two primitive ancestors, by major method of polyploidization, and proved by results of fan-shaped spectrum of species. Then, sex is the cause, force and opportunity for evolution.