Identification and Analysis of Novel Viral and Host Dysregulated MicroRNAs in Variant Pseudorabies Virus-Infected PK15 Cells.

Pseudorabies (PR) is one of the most devastating diseases in the pig industry. To identify changes in microRNA (miRNA) expression and post-transcriptional regulatory responses to PRV infection in porcine kidney epithelial (PK15) cells, we sequenced a small RNA (sRNA) library prepared from infected PK15 cells and compared it to a library prepared from uninfected cells using Illumina deep sequencing. Here we found 25 novel viral miRNAs by high-throughput sequencing and 20 of these miRNAs were confirmed through stem-loop RT-qPCR. Intriguingly, unlike the usual miRNAs encoded by the α-herpesviruses, which are found clustered in the large latency transcript (LLT), these novel viral miRNAs are throughout the PRV genome like ß-herpesviruses. Viral miRNAs are predicted to target multiple genes and form a complex regulatory network. GO analysis on host targets of viral miRNAs were involved in complex cellular processes, including the metabolic pathway, biological regulation, stimulus response, signaling process and immune response. Moreover, 13 host miRNAs were expressed with significant difference after infection with PRV: 8 miRNAs were up-regulated and 5 miRNAs were down-regulated, which may affect viral replication in host cell. Our results provided new insight into the characteristic of miRNAs in response to PRV infection, which is significant for further study of these miRNAs function.

Systematic qualitative and quantitative assessment of fatty acids in the seeds of 60 tree peony (Paeonia section Moutan DC.) cultivars by GC-MS.

Seeds from Paeonia ostii and Paeoniarockii have been recently identified as novel resources of α-linolenic acid (ALA) in China. To assess whether tree peony cultivars can be used as oil resource, fatty acids (FAs) in 60 cultivars were monitored and evaluated in this study. The results indicated that the composition and content of FAs varied dramatically among different cultivars, in which ALA, linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid were the dominant. The 60 cultivars were classified into six clusters by hierarchical cluster analysis, and they were quite distinct from each other. Finally, six cultivars with high yield and high quality were screened out, comprising of 'Liuliguanzhu', 'Hongguanyupei', 'LSS-2', 'LSS-1', 'Jingshenhuanfa' and 'LSS-11'. These cultivars were appropriately applied in practical oil production. Overall, tree peony oil with abundant unsaturated fatty acids especially ALA was proved to be a top-grade source for edible oil and nutritional supplements.

Biogenesis of C-glycosyl flavones and profiling of flavonoid glycosides in lotus (Nelumbo nucifera).

Flavonoids in nine tissues of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertner were identified and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) and HPLC-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MSn). Thirty-eight flavonoids were identified; eleven C-glycosides and five O-glycosides were discovered for the first time in N. nucifera. Most importantly, the C-glycosyl apigenin or luteolin detected in lotus plumules proved valuable for deep elucidation of flavonoid composition in lotus tissues and for further utilization as functional tea and medicine materials. Lotus leaves possessed the significantly highest amount of flavonoids (2.06E3±0.08 mg 100 g(-1) FW) and separating and purifying the bioactive compound, quercetin 3-O-glucuronide, from leaves showed great potential. In contrast, flavonoids in flower stalks, seed coats and kernels were extremely low. Simultaneously, the optimal picking time was confirmed by comparing the compound contents in five developmental phases. Finally, we proposed the putative flavonoid biosynthesis pathway in N. nucifera.

Genomic characterization of a bovine viral diarrhea virus 1 isolate from swine.

The SD0803 strain of the bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) was isolated from a piglet in China in 2008 and has been classified as a novel subgenotype of BVDV-1. To describe the molecular features of this novel subgenotype, we sequenced and characterized the complete genome of the SD0803 virus. The genome is 12,271 bp in length and contains 5' and 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) that flank an open reading frame (ORF) encoding a 3,898-amino-acid polypeptide. The full-length genome of the SD0803 strain shares 78.8% to 83.3% identity with those of other BVDV-1 strains, 70.0% to 70.7% identity with those of BVDV-2 strains, and less than 67.6% identity with those of other pestiviruses. The highest level of shared identity was 83.3% between the complete SD0803 genome and that of the ZM-95 strain of BVDV-1. Phylogenetic analysis of the 5' UTR and the coding sequence for the N-terminal protease fragment of the SD0803 polyprotein indicated that the SD0803 virus is a member of the novel subgenotype BVDV-1q, isolates of which have been identified recently in dairy cattle and camels in China.