Specific genes related to nucleopolyhedrovirus in Bombyx mori susceptible and near-isogenic resistant strains through comparative transcriptome analysis.

Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is one of the primary pathogens that causes severe economic losses to sericulture. Comparative transcriptomics analysis has been widely applied to explore the antiviral mechanism in resistant strains. Here, to identify genes involved in BmNPV infection, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and performed weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) between two Bombyx mori strains: strain 871 (susceptible to BmNPV infection) and the near-isogenic strain 871C (resistant to BmNPV). Our results showed that 400 genes were associated with resistance in strain 871C, and 76 genes were related to susceptibility in strain 871. In addition, the correlation analysis of DEGs and WGCNA showed that 40 genes related to resistance were highly expressed in the resistant strain. Among them, gene BGIBMGA004291 was the most noticeable. We further identified the effect of gene BGIBMGA004291, which encoded a multiprotein bridge factor 2 (MBF2) family member (MBF2-10), on viral infection in cells. Our data suggested that MBF2-10 inhibited viral infection. Taken together, this study showed specific module trait correlations related to viral infection in strains 871 and 871C, and we identified a resistance-related gene. These findings suggested promising candidate genes with antiviral activity, aiding in the analysis of the antiviral molecular mechanisms in resistant strains.

Calcium mobilization in ovarian cancer cells in response to lysophospholipids.

Intracellular free Ca(2+)concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) plays a critical role in regulating many diverse cellular functions including cell proliferation and programmed cell death (apoptosis) (1). An elevation in [Ca(2+)](i) activates enzymes (phospholipase A(2), phospho- lipase D and some isoforms of protein kinase C) associated with the liberation of bioactive lipids such as arachidonic acid (AA) and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) (1,2). AA and its metabolites have been implicated in multiple steps of carcinogenesis (3,4). LPA as well as several other bioactive lipids stimulate release of Ca(2+)from intracellular stores and regulate proliferation of ovarian cancer cells I5-7).

Detection and preliminary studies of small double capsid virus.

This article reports the detection of small double capsid virus and results of preliminary studies on its morphology, serology and relationship to gastroenteritis. A kind of small virus particles with morphological characteristics was found in fecal samples of 3 of 23 infants with autumn gastroenteritis. The average diameter of this virus particles is 34.1 +/- 1.1 nm, possessing core, double capsids and spoke-like capsomers. It can be differentiated from other viruses in morphology. Correlated antigenicity exists among 3 strains of the virus but not among other studied viruses and this virus. The titer of the antibody to small double capsid virus in convalescent phase-sera of 2 patients was more than 4-fold as high as that in control sera. This virus was absent in fecal samples of recovered patients as well as in those of normal infants. These show that small "double layer like" capsid virus might be one of the etiological agents of acute gastroenteritis.