The N-Terminal Region of Soybean PM1 Protein Protects Liposomes during Freeze-Thaw.

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) group 1 (LEA_1) proteins are intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) that play important roles in protecting plants from abiotic stress. Their protective function, at a molecular level, has not yet been fully elucidated, but several studies suggest their involvement in membrane stabilization under stress conditions. In this paper, the soybean LEA_1 protein PM1 and its truncated forms (PM1-N: N-terminal half; PM1-C: C-terminal half) were tested for the ability to protect liposomes against damage induced by freeze-thaw stress. Turbidity measurement and light microscopy showed that full-length PM1 and PM1-N, but not PM1-C, can prevent freeze-thaw-induced aggregation of POPC (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) liposomes and native thylakoid membranes, isolated from spinach leaves (Spinacia oleracea). Particle size distribution analysis by dynamic light scattering (DLS) further confirmed that PM1 and PM1-N can prevent liposome aggregation during freeze-thaw. Furthermore, PM1 or PM1-N could significantly inhibit membrane fusion of liposomes, but not reduce the leakage of their contents following freezing stress. The results of proteolytic digestion and circular dichroism experiments suggest that PM1 and PM1-N proteins bind mainly on the surface of the POPC liposome. We propose that, through its N-terminal region, PM1 functions as a membrane-stabilizing protein during abiotic stress, and might inhibit membrane fusion and aggregation of vesicles or other endomembrane structures within the plant cell.

Glutaminyl cyclase inhibitor exhibits anti-inflammatory effects in both AD and LPS-induced inflammatory model mice.

Up-regulated glutaminyl cyclase (QC) plays crucial roles in the initiation of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and kinds of chronic diseases mediated by inflammation. QC is supposed as a novel target for the therapeutics of these diseases. Here, we explored the anti-inflammation effects of diphenyl conjugated imidazole (DPCI) derivatives which were previously designed, synthesized and evaluated as novel QC inhibitors for AD treatment in our lab. Behavioral tests, QC activity assay, histology and ELISA analysis were conducted on both AD and lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced inflammatory model mice. It was shown that behavioral and cognitive performance in AD mice treated with the selected compound DPCI-23 were enhanced notably. QC activity, the formation of pE-Aß and Aß plaques and the activation of astrocytes and microglia cells in AD mice brains were inhibited, and the levels of inflammatory factors such as IL-6, IL-1ß and TNF-α in serum were reduced remarkably. Furthermore, elevated QC activity in inflammatory mice brains was also inhibited, and levels of IL-1ß, IL-1ra, TNF-α and CCL2 in serum, kidneys and brains together with the activated astrocytes and microglia cells in brains were all repressed significantly after the treatment of DPCI-23. These findings observed in this research demonstrated the anti-inflammation potency of DPCI-23 in modal of AD and inflammation by inhibiting QC activity, and may contribute to the employment of QC inhibitors for the prevention and treatment of AD and other inflammatory diseases.

Unravelling the MicroRNA-Mediated Gene Regulation in Developing Pongamia Seeds by High-Throughput Small RNA Profiling.

Pongamia (Millettia pinnata syn. Pongamia pinnata) is a multipurpose biofuel tree which can withstand a variety of abiotic stresses. Commercial applications of Pongamia trees may substantially benefit from improvements in their oil-seed productivity, which is governed by complex regulatory mechanisms underlying seed development. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important molecular regulators of plant development, while relatively little is known about their roles in seed development, especially for woody plants. In this study, we identified 236 conserved miRNAs within 49 families and 143 novel miRNAs via deep sequencing of Pongamia seeds sampled at three developmental phases. For these miRNAs, 1327 target genes were computationally predicted. Furthermore, 115 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRs) between successive developmental phases were sorted out. The DEmiR-targeted genes were preferentially enriched in the functional categories associated with DNA damage repair and photosynthesis. The combined analyses of expression profiles for DEmiRs and functional annotations for their target genes revealed the involvements of both conserved and novel miRNA-target modules in Pongamia seed development. Quantitative Real-Time PCR validated the expression changes of 15 DEmiRs as well as the opposite expression changes of six targets. These results provide valuable miRNA candidates for further functional characterization and breeding practice in Pongamia and other oilseed plants.

Glutaminyl cyclase inhibitor contributes to the regulation of HSP70, HSP90, actin, and ribosome on gene and protein levels in vitro.

Because of the crucial roles of upregulated glutaminyl cyclase (QC) in the initiation and development of Alzheimer's disease (AD), QC inhibitors are supposed as disease-modifying agents for the treatment of AD. And reported compounds encourage this hypothesis greatly based on the remarkable anti-AD effects in vivo. To illustrate the mechanism in detail, the actions of a selected QC inhibitor (23) were assessed firstly in a cell system here. It was demonstrated that QC activities and the generation of pyroglutamate-modified ß-amyloids in PC12 cells were both inhibited obviously after the treatment of 23. A total of 13 and 15 genes were up- and downregulated significantly in treated cells by RNA-sequencing analysis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, WB, and immunofluorescence analysis supported the effects of 23 on the transcriptome of PC12 cells consequently. The expressions of chaperones, heat shock proteins (HSP) 70, and 90, were upreglutated, while gene expression of actin and the level of encoded protein were reduced significantly in PC12 cells with the treatment. Furthermore, the regulations of ribosome were observed after the treatment. These results indicate the potency of 23 to improve the translation, expression and folding regulation of proteins and affect the multivalent cross-linking of cytoskeletal protein and other proteins subsequently in the cell system and might contribute to the understanding of the mechanism of QC inhibitor as potential anti-AD agents.

Temporal transcriptome profiling of developing seeds reveals a concerted gene regulation in relation to oil accumulation in Pongamia (Millettia pinnata).

BACKGROUND: Pongamia (Millettia pinnata syn. Pongamia pinnata), an oilseed legume species, is emerging as potential feedstock for sustainable biodiesel production. Breeding Pongamia for favorable traits in commercial application will rely on a comprehensive understanding of molecular mechanism regulating oil accumulation during its seed development. To date, only limited genomic or transcript sequences are available for Pongamia, while a temporal transcriptome profiling of developing seeds is still lacking in this species. RESULTS: In this work, we conducted a time-series analysis of morphological and physiological characters, oil contents and compositions, as well as global gene expression profiles in developing Pongamia seeds. Firstly, three major developmental phases were characterized based on the combined evidences from embryonic shape, seed weight, seed moisture content, and seed color. Then, the gene expression levels at these three phases were quantified by RNA-Seq analyses with three biological replicates from each phase. Nearly 94% of unigenes were expressed at all three phases, whereas only less than 2% of unigenes were exclusively expressed at one of these phases. A total of 8881 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between phases. Furthermore, the qRT-PCR analyses for 10 DEGs involved in lipid metabolism demonstrated a good reliability of our RNA-Seq data in temporal gene expression profiling. We observed a dramatic increase in seed oil content from the embryogenesis phase to the early seed-filling phase, followed by a steady and moderate increase towards the maximum at the desiccation phase. We proposed that a highly active expression of most genes related to fatty acid (FA) and triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis at the embryogenesis phase might trigger both the substantial oil accumulation and the membrane lipid synthesis for rapid cell proliferation at this phase, while a concerted reactivation of TAG synthesis-related genes at the desiccation phase might further promote storage lipid synthesis to achieve the maximum content of seed oils. CONCLUSIONS: This study not only built a bridge between gene expression profiles and oil accumulation in developing seeds, but also laid a foundation for future attempts on genetic engineering of Pongamia varieties to acquire higher oil yield or improved oil properties for biofuel applications.

Correlation between microRNA-143 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and disease severity in patients with psoriasis vulgaris.

This study aims to explore the correlation between microRNA-143 (miR-143) expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and disease severity in patients with psoriasis vulgaris. From March 2014 to November 2015, 194 patients with psoriasis vulgaris (102 patients in progressive stage and 92 patients in stable stage) were selected as the case group and 175 healthy people as a control group were enrolled in this study. ELISA was used to detect the levels of IL-17 and VEGF in serum. The qRT-PCR assay was performed to detect the relative expression of miR-143 in PBMCs. Disease severity in psoriasis vulgaris patients was graded with Psoriasis Lesions Area and Severity Index (PASI). The value of miR-143 expression in PBMCs for the diagnosis of psoriasis vulgaris was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The correlation between miR-143 expression in PBMCs and PASI scores was measured using Spearman rank correlation analysis. Compared with the control group, serum levels of IL-17 and VEGF were higher and miR-143 expression in PBMCs was lower in the case group. Furthermore, miR-143 expression in PBMCs was lower in patients in progressive stage than that in patients with stable stage. The relative expression of miR-143 in PBMCs was negatively correlated with PASI scores of patients with psoriasis vulgaris. ROC curve showed that miR-143 was a reliable and accurate biomarker of psoriasis vulgaris. Our findings suggest that miR-143 expression in PBMCs is negatively correlated the disease severity in psoriasis vulgaris.

The effect of phosphorylation on the salt-tolerance-related functions of the soybean protein PM18, a member of the group-3 LEA protein family.

Enzymatically driven post-translated modifications (PTMs) usually happen within the intrinsically disordered regions of a target protein and can modulate variety of protein functions. Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are a family of the plant intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs). Despite their important roles in plant stress response, there is currently limited knowledge on the presence and functional and structural effects of phosphorylation on LEA proteins. In this study, we identified three phosphorylation sites (Ser90, Tyr136, and Thr266) in the soybean PM18 protein that belongs to the group-3 LEA proteins. In yeast expression system, PM18 protein increased the salt tolerance of yeast, and the phosphorylation of this protein further enhanced its protective function. Further analysis revealed that Ser90 and Tyr136 are more important than Thr266, and these two sites might work cooperatively in regulating the salt resistance function of PM18. The circular dichroism analysis showed that PM18 protein was disordered in aqueous media, and phosphorylation did not affect the disordered status of this protein. However, phosphorylation promoted formation of more helical structure in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or trifluoroethanol (TFE). Furthermore, in dedicated in vitro experiments, phosphorylated PM18 protein was able to better protect lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) from the inactivation induced by the freeze-thaw cycles than its un- or dephosphorylated forms. All these data indicate that phosphorylation may have regulatory effects on the stress-tolerance-related function of LEA proteins. Therefore, further studies are needed to shed more light on functional and structural roles of phosphorylation in LEA proteins.

Synthesis and Evaluation of Diphenyl Conjugated Imidazole Derivatives as Potential Glutaminyl Cyclase Inhibitors for Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease.

High expression of glutaminyl cyclase (QC) contributes to the initiation of Alzheimer's disease (AD) by catalyzing the generation of neurotoxic pyroglutamate (pE)-modified ß-amyloid (Aß) peptides. Preventing the generation of pE-Aßs by QC inhibition has been suggested as a novel approach to a disease-modifying therapy for AD. In this work, a series of diphenyl conjugated imidazole derivatives (DPCIs) was rationally designed and synthesized. Analogues with this scaffold exhibited potent inhibitory activity against human QC (hQC) and good in vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability. Further assessments corroborated that the selected hQC inhibitor 28 inhibits the activity of hQC, dramatically reduces the generation of pE-Aßs in cultured cells and in vivo, and improves the behavior of AD mice.

Intrinsically Disordered Proteins as Important Players during Desiccation Stress of Soybean Radicles.

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) play a variety of important physiological roles in all living organisms. However, there is no comprehensive analysis of the abundance of IDPs associated with environmental stress in plants. Here, we show that a set of heat-stable proteins (i.e., proteins that do not denature after boiling at 100 °C for 10 min) was present in R0mm and R15mm radicles (i.e., before radicle emergence and 15 mm long radicles) of soybean (Glycine max) seeds. This set of 795 iTRAQ-quantified heat-stable proteins contained a high proportion of wholly or highly disordered proteins (15%), which was significantly higher than that estimated for the whole soybean proteome containing 55,787 proteins (9%). The heat-stable proteome of soybean radicles that contain many IDPs could protect lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) during freeze-thaw cycles. Comparison of the 795 heat-stable proteins in the R0mm and R15mm soybean radicles revealed that many of these proteins changed abundance during seedling growth with 170 and 89 proteins being more abundant in R0mm and R15mm, respectively. KEGG analysis identified 18 proteins from the cysteine and methionine metabolism pathways and nine proteins from the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway. As an important type of IDP related to stress, 30 late embryogenesis abundant proteins were also found. Ten selected proteins with high levels of predicted intrinsic disorder were able to efficiently protect LDH from the freeze-thaw-induced inactivation, but the protective ability was not correlated with the disorder content of these proteins. These observations suggest that protection of the enzymes and other proteins in a stressed cell can be one of the biological functions of plant IDPs.

Involvement of C-Terminal Histidines in Soybean PM1 Protein Oligomerization and Cu2+ Binding.

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are widely distributed among plant species, where they contribute to abiotic stress tolerance. LEA proteins can be classified into seven groups according to conserved sequence motifs. The PM1 protein from soybean, which belongs to the Pfam LEA_1 group, has been shown previously to be at least partially natively unfolded, to bind metal ions and potentially to stabilize proteins and membranes. Here, we investigated the role of the PM1 C-terminal domain and in particular the multiple histidine residues in this half of the protein. We constructed recombinant plasmids expressing full-length PM1 and two truncated forms, PM1-N and PM1-C, which represent the N- and C-terminal halves of the protein, respectively. Immunoblotting and cross-linking experiments showed that full-length PM1 forms oligomers and high molecular weight (HMW) complexes in vitro and in vivo, while PM1-C, but not PM1-N, also formed oligomers and HMW complexes in vitro. When the histidine residues in PM1 and PM1-C were chemically modified, oligomerization was abolished, suggesting that histidines play a key role in this process. Furthermore, we demonstrated that high Cu2+ concentrations promote oligomerization and induce PM1 and PM1-C to form HMW complexes. Therefore, we speculate that PM1 proteins not only maintain ion homeostasis in the cytoplasm, but also potentially stabilize and protect other proteins during abiotic stress by forming a large, oligomeric molecular shield around biological targets.

Enzyme-antibody dual-film modified gold nanoparticle probe for ultrasensitive detection of alpha fetoprotein.

In this study, we designed a comprehensive strategy for the ultrasensitive detection of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) with high specificity using gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A dual-film modified probe was synthesized by coating AuNPs with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) on its surface. Anti-AFP monoclonal antibody (McAb) was immobilized on the surface of the enzyme using glutaraldehyde cross-linking method. AuNPs, employed as support for the immobilization of HRP. HRP was used not only as the enzymatic-amplified tracer but also as a bridge for loading McAb. The limit of detection was 2 ng mL-1. The developed probes can provide an alternative approach with high sensitivity and a simple process similar to that of the traditional HRP-McAb based ELISA for the ultrasensitive detection of AFP in serum.

Serum leptin level measured 48 h after delivery is associated with development of postpartum depressive symptoms: a 3-month follow-up study.

The aim of this study was to assess the possible relationship between leptin status and postpartum depressive symptoms using serum levels of leptin collected 24-48 h after delivery in a cohort Chinese sample. Women delivering a full-term, singleton, and live-born infant in the period from August 2013 to March 2014 were enrolled immediately postpartum. A blood sample was obtained 24-48 h after childbirth to test serum levels of leptin. Participation consisted of a visit in an obstetric unit at 3 months after delivery. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), completed at 3 months postpartum, was used to classify each woman's depression symptom severity. Demographic, obstetric, behavioral risk, mental health, and psychosocial factors were considered. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors most predictive of postpartum depressive symptoms. During the study period, 407 individuals were included and completed follow-up. At 3 months, according to EPDS score, 53 women (13.0 %) were considered as postpartum depressive symptoms. Serum leptin levels in women with PPD were significantly greater than those in women without depressive symptoms (36.5 [IQR, 25.5-50.4] vs. 14.5 [IQR, 9.4-22.4] ng/ml, P < 0.0001). Based on the ROC curve, the optimal cutoff value of serum leptin levels as an indicator for predicting of depressive symptoms was projected to be 24.3 ng/mL, which yielded a sensitivity of 88.7 % and a specificity of 73.4 %, with the area under the curve at 0.867 (95 % CI, 0.817-0.916). In multivariate analysis, there was an increased risk of depressive symptoms associated with leptin levels ≥24.3 ng/ml (OR 8.234; 95 % CI, 3.572-15.876; P < 0.0001) after adjusting for possible confounders. Elevated serum leptin levels at delivery could eventually serve as a biological marker for the prediction of depressive symptoms. These associations were independent of other possible variables.

Inhibitory effect of flavonoids on human glutaminyl cyclase.

Glutaminyl cyclase (QC) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and can be a potential target for the development of novel anti-AD agents. However, the study of QC inhibitors are still less. Here, phenol-4' (R1-), C5-OH (R2-) and C7-OH (R3-) modified apigenin derivatives were synthesized as a new class of human QC (hQC) inhibitors. The efficacy investigation of these compounds was performed by spectrophotometric assessment and the structure-activity relationship (SAR) was evaluated. Molecular docking was also carried out to analyze the binding mode of the synthesized flavonoid to the active site of hQC.

[Progress in molecular biology of a semi-mangrove, Millettia pinnata].

Millettia pinnata L. is a leguminous tree with great potential in biodiesel applications and also a typical semi-mangrove. In this review, we presented several aspects about the recent research progress in molecular biology of M. pinnata. We descrived several types of molecular markers used to assess the genetic diversity and phylogeny of this species, genome and transcriptome analyses based on high-throughput sequencing platform accomplished for this species, and several gene and genomic sequences of this species isolated for further research. Finally, based on the current research progress, we proposed some orientations for future molecular biology research on M. pinnata.

Nodulisporiviridins A-H, Bioactive Viridins from Nodulisporium sp.

Eight new viridins, nodulisporiviridins A-H (1-8), were isolated from the extract of an endolichenic fungal strain Nodulisporium sp. (No. 65-17-2-1) that was fermented with potato-dextrose broth. The structures were determined using spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic analysis. Nodulisporiviridins A-D (1-4) are unique viridins with an opened ring A. The Aß42 aggregation inhibitory activities of 1-8 were evaluated using a thioflavin T (ThT) assay with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) as the positive control (EGCG IC50 of 0.5 µM). Nodulisporiviridin G (7) displayed potent inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 1.2 µM, and the preliminary trend of activity of these viridins as Aß42 aggregation inhibitors was proposed. The short-term memory assay on an Aß transgenic drosophila model of Alzheimer's disease showed that all eight compounds improved the short-term memory capacity, with potencies close to that of the positive control (memantine).

Facile synthesis of boron- and nitride-doped MoS2 nanosheets as fluorescent probes for the ultrafast, sensitive, and label-free detection of Hg(2+).

Bulk MoS2, a prototypical transition metal chalcogenide material, is an indirect band gap semiconductor with negligible photoluminescence. In this study, we have developed, for the first time, a simple and low-cost synthetic strategy to prepare boron- and nitrogen-doped MoS2 (B,N-MoS2) nanosheets. Through boron and nitrogen doping, the band gap of MoS2 increases from 1.20 eV to 1.61 eV, and the obtained B,N-MoS2 nanosheets exhibit an enhanced fluorescence. The B,N-MoS2 nanosheets can be used as a green and facile sensing platform for label-free detection of Hg(2+) because of their high sensitivity and selectivity toward Hg(2+). In addition, detection can be easily accomplished through one-step rapid (within 2 min) operation, with a limit as low as 1 nM. This study demonstrates that the introduction of boron and nitrogen elements into ultrathin MoS2 nanosheets for enhanced fluorescence properties is feasible through a facile and general preparation strategy and may also offer a unique idea as a potential way to design more efficient MoS2-based sensors and fluorescent materials.

A plant cell model of polyglutamine aggregation: Identification and characterisation of macromolecular and small-molecule anti-protein aggregation activity in vivo.

In vitro studies have shown that LEA proteins from plants and invertebrates protect and stabilise other proteins under conditions of water stress, suggesting a role in stress tolerance. However, there is little information on LEA protein function in whole plants or plant cells, particularly with respect to their anti-aggregation activity. To address this, we expressed in tobacco BY-2 suspension cells an aggregation-prone protein based on that responsible for Huntington's disease (HD). In HD, abnormally long stretches of polyglutamine (polyQ) in huntingtin (Htt) protein cause aggregation of Htt fragments within cells. We constructed stably transformed BY-2 cell lines expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-HttQ23 or EGFP-HttQ52 fusion proteins (encoding 23 or 52 glutamine residues, pertaining to the normal and disease states, respectively), as well as an EGFP control. EGFP-HttQ52 protein aggregated in the cytoplasm of transformed tobacco cells, which showed slow growth kinetics; in contrast, EGFP-HttQ23 or EGFP did not form aggregates and cells expressing these constructs grew normally. To test the effect of LEA proteins on protein aggregation in plant cells, we constructed cell lines expressing both EGFP-HttQ52 and LEA proteins (PM1, PM18, ZLDE-2 or AavLEA1) or a sHSP (PM31). Of these, AavLEA1 and PM31 reduced intracellular EGFP-HttQ52 aggregation and alleviated the associated growth inhibition, while PM18 and ZLDE-2 partially restored growth rates. Treatment of EGFP-HttQ52-expressing BY2 cells with the polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) also reduced EGFP-HttQ52 aggregation and improved cell growth rate. The EGFP-HttQ52 cell line therefore has potential for characterising both macromolecular and small molecule inhibitors of protein aggregation in plant cells.

Effects of secondary metabolite extract from Phomopsis occulta on ß-amyloid aggregation.

Inhibition of ß-amyloid (Aß) aggregation is an attractive therapeutic and preventive strategy for the discovery of disease-modifying agents in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Phomopsis occulta is a new, salt-tolerant fungus isolated from mangrove Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre. We report here the inhibitory effects of secondary metabolites from Ph. occulta on the aggregation of Aß42. It was found that mycelia extracts (MEs) from Ph. occulta cultured with 0, 2, and 3 M NaCl exhibited inhibitory activity in an E. coli model of Aß aggregation. A water-soluble fraction, ME0-W-F1, composed of mainly small peptides, was able to reduce aggregation of an Aß42-EGFP fusion protein and an early onset familial mutation Aß42E22G-mCherry fusion protein in transfected HEK293 cells. ME0-W-F1 also antagonized the cytotoxicity of Aß42 in the neural cell line SH-SY5Y in dose-dependent manner. Moreover, SDS-PAGE and FT-IR analysis confirmed an inhibitory effect of ME0-W-F1 on the aggregation of Aß42 in vitro. ME0-W-F1 blocked the conformational transition of Aß42 from α-helix/random coil to ß-sheet, and thereby inhibited formation of Aß42 tetramers and high molecular weight oligomers. ME0-W-F1 and other water-soluble secondary metabolites from Ph. occulta therefore represent new candidate natural products against aggregation of Aß42, and illustrate the potential of salt tolerant fungi from mangrove as resources for the treatment of AD and other diseases.

Transcriptome sequencing and analysis of leaf tissue of Avicennia marina using the Illumina platform.

Avicennia marina is a widely distributed mangrove species that thrives in high-salinity habitats. It plays a significant role in supporting coastal ecosystem and holds unique potential for studying molecular mechanisms underlying ecological adaptation. Despite and sometimes because of its numerous merits, this species is facing increasing pressure of exploitation and deforestation. Both study on adaptation mechanisms and conservation efforts necessitate more genomic resources for A. marina. In this study, we used Illumina sequencing of an A. marina foliar cDNA library to generate a transcriptome dataset for gene and marker discovery. We obtained 40 million high-quality reads and assembled them into 91,125 unigenes with a mean length of 463 bp. These unigenes covered most of the publicly available A. marina Sanger ESTs and greatly extended the repertoire of transcripts for this species. A total of 54,497 and 32,637 unigenes were annotated based on homology to sequences in the NCBI non-redundant and the Swiss-prot protein databases, respectively. Both Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed some transcriptomic signatures of stress adaptation for this halophytic species. We also detected an extraordinary amount of transcripts derived from fungal endophytes and demonstrated the utility of transcriptome sequencing in surveying endophyte diversity without isolating them out of plant tissues. Additionally, we identified 3,423 candidate simple sequence repeats (SSRs) from 3,141 unigenes with a density of one SSR locus every 8.25 kb sequence. Our transcriptomic data will provide valuable resources for ecological, genetic and evolutionary studies in A. marina.

Diphenyl ethers from Aspergillus sp. and their anti-Aß42 aggregation activities.

Two new compounds with the character of diphenyl ether structure, oxisterigmatocystin D (1) and 9-acetyldiorcinol B (6), were isolated from the endolichenic fungal strain Aspergillus sp. (No. 16-20-8-1), along with six known compounds, oxisterigmatocystin A (2), oxisterigmatocystin C (3), sterigmatocystin (4), diorcinol B (5), violaceol-I (7), and violaceol-II (8). The structures of the new compounds were determined by extensive NMR spectroscopic data, and the absolute configuration of 1 was established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Moreover, the Aß42 aggregation inhibitory activities of 5-8 were evaluated by the standard thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence assay using epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) as the positive control. Compounds 7 and 8 displayed significant anti-Aß42 aggregation activity with IC50 values of 5.1 and 2.3µM, respectively. Preliminary structure-activity relationship of these diphenyl ethers as anti-Aß42 aggregation inhibitors was proposed.