Cu(II)-induced molecular and physiological responses in the brown-rot basidiomycete Polyporales sp. KUC9061.

AIM: A potentially safe disposal method for copper-containing waste wood is bioremediation using brown-rot fungi. However, the mechanisms regulating brown-rot fungi copper tolerance are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to better understand the molecular and physiological changes in Polyporales sp. KUC9061 in response to Cu(II) using GeneFishing technology. METHODS AND RESULTS: The presence of Cu(II) in the malt extract agar (MEA) media decreased the brown-rot fungi's growth rate in a concentration-dependent manner, but the fungal biomass was significantly increased in part for the biosorption of Cu(II). Increased expression of the genes encoding for the GIS2 DNA-binding protein and the 40S ribosomal protein S3A appears to be involved in this process. Oxalic acid is not used as a defence mechanism against high copper exposure, and ATP citrate lyase is not directly involved in oxalic acid production in this fungus. Several Cu(II)-sensitive proteins showed stable gene expression, suggesting that mechanisms that do not rely on these genes are responsible for the Cu(II) tolerance of the fungus. CONCLUSIONS: Polyporales sp. KUC9061 does not use oxalic acid to chelate excess Cu(II) and potentially has other mechanisms, including the increased production of mycelia, to regulate Cu(II) biosorption. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study is the first effort to examine Cu(II)-induced differential gene expression and the related physiological changes in the brown-rot fungus, a potential degrader of copper-containing waste wood. The results of this study will help with using this fungus to safely dispose of waste wood safe.

Ninjurin1 mediates macrophage-induced programmed cell death during early ocular development.

Developmental tissues go through regression, remodeling, and apoptosis. In these processes, macrophages phagocytize dead cells and induce apoptosis directly. In hyaloid vascular system (HVS), macrophages induce apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells (VECs) by cooperation between the Wnt and angiopoietin (Ang) pathways through cell-cell interaction. However, it remains unclear how macrophages are activated and interact with VECs. Here we show that Ninjurin1 (nerve injury-induced protein; Ninj1) was temporally increased in macrophages during regression of HVS and these Ninj1-expressing macrophages closely interacted with hyaloid VECs. Systemic neutralization using an anti-Ninj1 antibody resulted in the delay of HVS regression in vivo. We also found that Ninj1 increased cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion of macrophages. Furthermore, Ninj1 stimulated the expression of Wnt7b in macrophages and the conditioned media from Ninj1-overexpressing macrophages (Ninj1-CM) decreased Ang1 and increased Ang2 in pericytes, which consequently switched hyaloid VEC fate from survival to death. Collectively, these findings suggest that macrophages express Ninj1 to increase the death signal through cell-cell interaction and raise the possibility that Ninj1 may act similarly in other developmental regression mediated by macrophages.

Screening of the wormicidal Chinese raw drugs on Clonorchis sinensis.

The wormicidal effect on Clonorchis sinensis in boiled water extracts of 223 species (vegetable origin 206, animal origin 10, mineral origin 7) of raw drugs prescribed in Oriental medicine was observed in vitro. The wormicidal substances were detected from 31 of the above-mentioned species. The wormicidal substances extracted from Platycodon grandiflorum (radix), Schizandra chinensis (fruit), Polygala tenuifolia (herb) and Aster tataricus (radix) were most effective. Those from Smilax glabra (radix), Pueraria thunbergiana (flower, radix), Polygala tenuifolia (radix), Scutellaria baicalensis (radix), Prunus mume (fruit), Glycyrrhiza uralensis (radix), Angelica koreana (radix), Phytolacca esculenta (radix) and Cyrtomium fortunei (rhizoma) were effective. The rest of the raw drugs were less effective.