Diverse Environmental Stresses Research Articles

RNA-Seq-Based Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Highlights New Features of the Heat-Stress Response in the Extremophilic Bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans.

Deinococcus radiodurans is best known for its extraordinary resistance to diverse environmental stress factors, such as ionizing radiation, ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, desiccation, oxidation, and high temperatures. The heat response of this bacterium is considered to be due to a classical, stress-induced regulatory system that is characterized by extensive transcriptional reprogramming. In this study, we investigated the key functional genes involved in heat stress that were expressed and accumulated in cells (R48) following heat treatment at 48 °C for 2 h. Considering that protein degradation is a time-consuming bioprocess, we predicted that to maintain cellular homeostasis, the expression of the key functional proteins would be significantly decreased in cells (RH) that had partly recovered from heat stress relative to their expression in cells (R30) grown under control conditions. Comparative transcriptomics identified 15 genes that were significantly downregulated in RH relative to R30, seven of which had previously been characterized to be heat shock proteins. Among these genes, three hypothetical genes (dr_0127, dr_1083, and dr_1325) are highly likely to be involved in response to heat stress. Survival analysis of mutant strains lacking DR_0127 (a DNA-binding protein), DR_1325 (an endopeptidase-like protein), and DR_1083 (a hypothetical protein) showed a reduction in heat tolerance compared to the wild-type strain. These results suggest that DR_0127, DR_1083, and DR_1325 might play roles in the heat stress response. Overall, the results of this study provide deeper insights into the transcriptional regulation of the heat response in D. radiodurans.

Neuroinflammation disorders exacerbated by environmental stressors

Neuroinflammation is a condition characterized by the elaboration of proinflammatory mediators within the central nervous system. Neuroinflammation has emerged as a dominant theme in contemporary neuroscience due to its association with neurodegenerative disease states such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. While neuroinflammation often is associated with damage to the CNS, it also can occur in the absence of neurodegeneration, e.g., in association with systemic infection. The “acute phase” inflammatory response to tissue injury or infections instigates neuroinflammation-driven “sickness behavior,” i.e. a constellation of symptoms characterized by loss of appetite, fever, muscle pain, fatigue and cognitive problems. Typically, sickness behavior accompanies an inflammatory response that resolves quickly and serves to restore the body to homeostasis. However, recurring and sometimes chronic sickness behavior disorders can occur in the absence of an underlying cause or attendant neuropathology. Here, we review myalgic enchepalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), Gulf War Illness (GWI), and chemobrain as examples of such disorders and propose that they can be exacerbated and perhaps initiated by a variety of environmental stressors. Diverse environmental stressors may disrupt the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis and contribute to the degree and duration of a variety of neuroinflammation-driven diseases.

Effect of Zataria multiflora Boiss. Essential oil, time, and temperature on the expression of Listeria monocytogenes virulence genes in broth and minced rainbow trout

The virulence potential of Listeria monocytogenes is not a stable property and can be greatly affected by diverse environmental conditions and stresses. For example, the addition of essential oils (EOs) into the formulation of foods, as well as the time and temperature of the treatment process, can affect the virulence gene expression of L. monocytogenes. The aim of the present study was to assess the transcriptomic response of L. monocytogenes isolate on the exposure to Zataria multiflora Boiss. essential oil (ZEO) in fish storage resembling conditions. The expression of four different genes of L. monocytogenes (hly, prfA, inlA, and inlB) was assessed by the reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) during growth in two different growth mediums (broth and minced rainbow trout fish), treated by sub inhibitory concentrations (subMIC) of ZEO at select times (0 h, 24 h and 48 h) and temperatures (12 °C, 22 °C and 37 °C). The mixed responses of gene regulation for L. monocytogenes were obtained in response to the differences in the type of growth medium, dose of ZEO, time, and temperature of treatment. Our results show that the application of EO at acceptable sensory amounts (<0.7%) can significantly increase the expression of virulence genes. Therefore, EOs can be important in virulence potential and pathogenicity of L. monocytogenes. The level and trend of transcription of hly gene was affected differently compared to the other genes.

Knockout of SlMAPK3 enhances tolerance to heat stress involving ROS homeostasis in tomato plants

BackgroundHigh temperature is a major environmental stress that limits plant growth and agriculture productivity. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are highly conserved serine and threonine protein kinases that participate in response to diverse environmental stresses in plants. A total of 16 putative SlMAPK genes are identified in tomato, and SlMAPK3 is one of the most extensively studied SlMAPKs. However, the role of SlMAPK3 in response to heat stress is not clearly understood in tomato plants. In this study, we performed functional analysis of SlMAPK3 for its possible role in response to heat stress.ResultsqRT-PCR analyses revealed that SlMAPK3 relative expression was depressed by heat stress. Here, wild-type (WT) tomato plants and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated slmapk3 mutant lines (L8 and L13) were used to investigate the function of SlMAPK3 in response to heat stress. Compared with WT plants, slmapk3 mutants exhibited less severe wilting and less membrane damage, showed lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) contents, and presented higher both activities and transcript levels of antioxidant enzymes, as well as elevated expressions of genes encoding heat stress transcription factors (HSFs) and heat shock proteins (HSPs).ConclusionsCRISPR/Cas9-mediated slmapk3 mutants exhibited more tolerance to heat stress than WT plants, suggesting that SlMAPK3 was a negative regulator of thermotolerance. Moreover, antioxidant enzymes and HSPs/HSFs genes expression were involved in SlMAPK3-mediated heat stress response in tomato plants.

Characterization of DNA Repair Foci in Root Cells of Arabidopsis in Response to DNA Damage.

As a sessile organism, plants are constantly challenged by diverse environmental stresses that threaten genome integrity by way of induction of DNA damage. In plants, each tissue is composed of differentiated cell types, and the response to DNA damage differs among each cell type. However, limited information is available on the subnuclear dynamics of different cell types in response to DNA damage in plants. A chromatin remodeling factor RAD54, which plays an important role in the exchange reaction and alteration of chromatin structure during homologous recombination, specifically accumulates at damaged sites, forming DNA repair foci (termed RAD54 foci) in nuclei after γ-irradiation. In this study, we performed a time-course analysis of the appearance of RAD54 foci in root cells of Arabidopsis after γ-irradiation to characterize the subnuclear dynamics in each cell type. A short time after γ-irradiation, no significant difference in detection frequency of RAD54 foci was observed among epidermal, cortical, and endodermal cells in the meristematic zone of roots. Interestingly, cells showing RAD54 foci persisted in roots at long time after γ-irradiation, and RAD54 foci in these cells localized to nuclear periphery with high frequency. These observations suggest that the nuclear envelope plays a role in the maintenance of genome stability in response to DNA damage in Arabidopsis roots.

Toward Sustainable Environmental Quality: Priority Research Questions for North America.

Anticipating, identifying, and prioritizing strategic needs represent essential activities by research organizations. Decided benefits emerge when these pursuits engage globally important environment and health goals, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. To this end, horizon scanning efforts can facilitate identification of specific research needs to address grand challenges. We report and discuss 40 priority research questions following engagement of scientists and engineers in North America. These timely questions identify the importance of stimulating innovation and developing new methods, tools, and concepts in environmental chemistry and toxicology to improve assessment and management of chemical contaminants and other diverse environmental stressors. Grand challenges to achieving sustainable management of the environment are becoming increasingly complex and structured by global megatrends, which collectively challenge existing sustainable environmental quality efforts. Transdisciplinary, systems‐based approaches will be required to define and avoid adverse biological effects across temporal and spatial gradients. Similarly, coordinated research activities among organizations within and among countries are necessary to address the priority research needs reported here. Acquiring answers to these 40 research questions will not be trivial, but doing so promises to advance sustainable environmental quality in the 21st century. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:1606–1624. © 2019 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.

Priming of Plant Resistance to Heat Stress and Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Thailand Virus With Plant-Derived Materials.

Plants are often simultaneously exposed to diverse environmental stresses, and can tune suitable responses to them through hormones. Salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathways are known to enhance resistance against heat stress and tomato yellow leaf curl Thailand virus (TYLCTHV) infection. However, there is limited information regarding alternative natural priming agents against heat stress and viruses. In this study, two plant-derived priming agents, eugenol and anise oil, were tested for their roles in conferring thermotolerance and virus resistance in tomato plants. Under heat stress, the survival rates and average fresh weight were higher in plants treated with eugenol or anise oil than in control plants. These two priming agents were further tested for antiviral activities. After TYLCTHV infection, the disease incidence and relative abundance of TYLCTHV were lower in anise oil- and eugenol-treated plants than in control plants. Further analyses revealed that a few SA, JA, and RNA silencing genes were enhanced in the former. Moreover, SA, JA, and H2O2 contents increased considerably after eugenol and anise oil treatments. Our findings imply that anise oil and eugenol initiated SA- and JA-mediated defenses to promote thermotolerance and antiviral responses of tomato plants.

Calcium Carbonate Reduces the Effectiveness of Soil-Added Monosilicic Acid in Cucumber Plants

This study aimed to determine the capacity of monosilicic acid [Si(OH)4] to mitigate nutritional and metabolic disorders in plants induced by high levels of soil calcium carbonate (CaCO3), which raises soil pH and lowers solubility of soil micronutrients. Plants (Cucumis sativus L.) were grown in a soil with increasing rates of Si(OH)4 at two CaCO3 doses. Biometrical parameters, leaf chlorophyll and leaf and stem nutrients as well as leaf metabolic responses, using a metabolomics approach, were evaluated. Additionally, extractable Si and Si plant availability were examined. Manifestations of Si-induced effects in cucumber were highly CaCO3-dependent. In the –CaCO3 plants, Si(OH)4 addition induced distinct plant-beneficial effects, such as enhanced transport of iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) to stems and/or leaves, accompanied with enhanced leaf abundance of metabolites (α-tocopherol, galactinol, threonic and ferulic acids) potentially involved in plant defence mechanisms against diverse environmental stresses. Biostimulant activity of Si(OH)4 was not evident in plants grown in the CaCO3-treated soil, characterized by reduced extractability and bioavailability of Si, compared with the untreated soils. The low physiological effectiveness of Si(OH)4 on the CaCO3-treated soil is likely due to a significant decrease in plant availability of Si, against a background of drastic plant performance impairment at high pH values induced by CaCO3 excess.

Mycobacterium smegmatis HtrA Blocks the Toxic Activity of a Putative Cell Wall Amidase

SUMMARYMycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, withstands diverse environmental stresses in the host. The periplasmic protease HtrA is required only to survive extreme conditions in most bacteria but is predicted to be essential for normal growth in mycobacteria. We confirm that HtrA is indeed essential in Mycobacterium smegmatis and interacts with another essential protein of unknown function, LppZ. However, the loss of any of three unlinked genes, including those encoding Ami3, a peptidoglycan muramidase, and Pmt, a mannosyltransferase, suppresses the essentiality of both HtrA and LppZ, indicating the functional relevance of these genes’ protein products. Our data indicate that HtrA-LppZ is required to counteract the accumulation of active Ami3, which is toxic under the stabilizing influence of Pmt-based mannosylation. This suggests that HtrA-LppZ blocks the toxicity of a cell wall enzyme to maintain mycobacterial homeostasis.

Assessment of HSP70 and catalase in Brachidontes rodriguezii (d’Orbigny, 1842) a mussel from the Argentinean coast

Introduction: Intertidal ecosystems are complex environments of great importance for the ecological balance of coastal zones and are vulnerable areas to effects caused by natural stressors of global relevance such as temperature. Mussels, are often exposed to drastic variations of temperature and can show intracellular mechanisms of compensation that allow them to counteract exposure in the short and medium term at high temperatures. Heat shock proteins are chaperones that allow thermal stability of proteins against abrupt changes in temperature and catalase is an antioxidant enzyme that aid cells to fight against oxidative stress caused by diverse environmental stressors [1,2]. Materials and methods: Mussel samples were homogenized in PBS buffer (phosphate saline solution, pH =7.4) and centrifuged (10,000×g for 15 min at 4 °C). Afterwards, the supernatants were transferred to 1.5 ml microtubes and stored at −80 °C until analysis. The HSP70 (Heat shock Proteins) levels were determined in individuals from both sexes, exposed at different temperatures (20 °C, 24 °C, 26 °C y 28 °C) for 7 and 14 days. Organisms sampled at T0 were also analysed. The HSP70 levels were determined by ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay) as described by Madeira et al. [2] and catalase following the method described in Diniz et al. [3]. Results and discussion: The preliminary results show an absence of significant differences between sexes of HSP70 levels at T0, 20 °C and 24 °C. However, at 26 °C and 28 °C, a differentiated response was observed in organisms exposed at higher temperatures, where the females had higher levels of HSP70 in the short term (7 days) compared to male individuals (p <0.05). In the medium term (14 days) it was observed that females have similar or lower values than males. Conclusions: The results show the ability to evaluate thermal stress by determining biomarkers such as HSP70 or antioxidant enzymes in tissues of B. rodriguezii providing valuable information to a better understanding of the effects of natural stressors on marine organisms. It also establishes that the sex of animals is a major factor of importance when evaluating this type of responses related to thermal stress.

Overexpression of Transglutaminase from Cucumber in Tobacco Increases Salt Tolerance through Regulation of Photosynthesis.

Transglutaminase (TGase) is a regulator of posttranslational modification of protein that provides physiological protection against diverse environmental stresses in plants. Nonetheless, the mechanisms of TGase-mediated salt tolerance remain largely unknown. Here, we found that the transcription of cucumber TGase (CsTGase) was induced in response to light and during leaf development, and the CsTGase protein was expressed in the chloroplast and the cell wall. The overexpression of the CsTGase gene effectively ameliorated salt-induced photoinhibition in tobacco plants, increased the levels of chloroplast polyamines (PAs) and enhanced the abundance of D1 and D2 proteins. TGase also induced the expression of photosynthesis related genes and remodeling of thylakoids under normal conditions. However, salt stress treatment reduced the photosynthesis rate, PSII and PSI related genes expression, D1 and D2 proteins in wild-type (WT) plants, while these effects were alleviated in CsTGase overexpression plants. Taken together, our results indicate that TGase-dependent PA signaling protects the proteins of thylakoids, which plays a critical role in plant response to salt stress. Thus, overexpression of TGase may be an effective strategy for enhancing resistance to salt stress of salt-sensitive crops in agricultural production.

Induced, Imprinted, and Primed Responses to Changing Environments: Does Metabolism Store and Process Information?

Metabolism is the system layer that determines growth by the rate of matter uptake and conversion into biomass. The scaffold of enzymatic reaction rates drives the metabolic network in a given physico-chemical environment. In response to the diverse environmental stresses, plants have evolved the capability of integrating macro- and micro-environmental events to be prepared, i.e., to be primed for upcoming environmental challenges. The hierarchical view on stress signaling, where metabolites are seen as final downstream products, has recently been complemented by findings that metabolites themselves function as stress signals. We present a systematic concept of metabolic responses that are induced by environmental stresses and persist in the plant system. Such metabolic imprints may prime metabolic responses of plants for subsequent environmental stresses. We describe response types with examples of biotic and abiotic environmental stresses and suggest that plants use metabolic imprints, the metabolic changes that last beyond recovery from stress events, and priming, the imprints that function to prepare for upcoming stresses, to integrate diverse environmental stress histories. As a consequence, even genetically identical plants should be studied and understood as phenotypically plastic organisms that continuously adjust their metabolic state in response to their individually experienced local environment. To explore the occurrence and to unravel functions of metabolic imprints, we encourage researchers to extend stress studies by including detailed metabolic and stress response monitoring into extended recovery phases.

Ultrastructural patterns of photoacclimation and photodamage to photosynthetic algae cell under environmental stress.

In oxygenic phototrophs including unicellular algae, acclimation to and damage by diverse environmental stresses induce profound changes in the ultrastructural organization of the cell. These alterations reflect acclimation of the photosynthetic apparatus to unfavorable conditions (mainly reduction of the chloroplast and its membranal system) and rewiring of the photo-fixed carbon fluxes in the cell. These changes, eventually pursuing mitigation of the photooxidative damage risk, are manifested by the formation of diverse carbon-rich inclusions. Although the physiological and molecular basis of these processes are well understood, the ultrastructural manifestations of the stress responses are often fragmented and frequently controversial. This minireview attempts to generalize on the ultrastructural patterns accompanying stresses in the photosynthetic cell, involving the concerted rearrangements of its assimilatory and storage compartments. The changes characteristic of normal functioning and emergency reduction of the chloroplast thylakoids under harsh stress are also addressed. Special attention is paid to the manifestations of the engagement of photoprotection via active (energy-dependent non-photochemical quenching) and passive mechanisms (e.g. optical shielding by secondary carotenoids). We also underline the potentially important role of autophagy-like processes and provide a more integral view of ultrastructural rearrangements under stress.

Novel Mechanism for Surface Layer Shedding and Regenerating in Bacteria Exposed to Metal-Contaminated Conditions.

Surface layers (S-layers) are components of the cell walls throughout the Bacteria and the Archaea that provide protection for microorganisms against diverse environmental stresses, including metal stress. We have previously characterized the process by which S-layers serve as a nucleation site for metal mineralization in an archaeon for which the S-layer represents the only cell wall component. Here, we test the hypothesis originally proposed in cyanobacteria that a “shedding” mechanism exists for replacing S-layers that have become mineral-encrusted, using Lysinibacillus sp. TchIII 20n38, metallotolerant gram-positive bacterium, as a model organism. We characterize for the first time a mechanism for resistance to metals through S-layer shedding and regeneration. S-layers nucleate the formation of Fe-mineral on the cell surface, depending on physiological state of the cells and metal exposure times, leading to the encrustation of the S-layer and changes in the cell morphology as observed by scanning electron microscopy. Using Nanoscale Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, we show that mineral-encrusted S-layers are shed by the bacterial cells after a period of latency (2 days under the conditions tested) in a heterogeneous fashion likely reflecting natural variations in metal stress resistance. The emerging cells regenerate new S-layers as part of their cell wall structure. Given the wide diversity of S-layer bearing prokaryotes, S-layer shedding may represent an important mechanism for microbial survival in metal-contaminated environments.

Canopy Temperature and Chlorophyll Content are Effective Measures of Drought Stress Tolerance in Durum Wheat

Durum wheat (Triticum durum L.) is used for the preparation of multiple food products, including pasta and bread. Its production is restricted due to diverse environmental stresses i.e. drought and heat stress. Here, comparative analysis of durum wheat varieties was done by studying canopy temperature depression (CTD) and chlorophyll content (CHL), yield and yield contributing traits to evaluate their performance under stress and low stress conditions. Twelve durum wheat genotypes were studied under stressful and low-stress conditions in Gachsaran region of Iran. CTD and CHL were measured at two stages, from the emergence of fifty percent of inflorescence (ZGS 54) to watery ripe stage (ZGS 71). According to stress tolerance index (STI), mean productivity (MP) and geometric mean productivity (GMP) indices, genotype G10 exhibited the most, while genotype G6, the least relative tolerance, respectively. Based on MP and GMP, genotype G10 was found to be drought tolerant, while genotype G2 displayed the lowest amount of MP and GMP. Therefore these genotypes are recommended to be used as genitors in artificial hybridization for improvement of drought tolerance in other cultivars. All indices had high correlation with grain yield under stress and non-stress condition, indicating more suitability of these indices for selection of resistant genotype. Results of the present study showed that among drought tolerance indices, harmonic mean (HM), GMP, CTD and modified STI index (K2STI) can be used as the most suitable indicators for screening drought tolerant cultivars.

Motor and Nonmotor Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease: Antagonistic Pleiotropy Phenomena Derived from α-Synuclein Evolvability?

Lewy body diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and multiple system atrophy (MSA), are associated with a wide range of nonmotor symptoms (NMS), including cognitive impairment, depression and anxiety, sleep disorders, gastrointestinal symptoms, and autonomic failure. The reason why such diverse and disabling NMS have not been weeded out but have persisted across evolution is unknown. As such, one possibility would be that the NMS might be somehow beneficial during development and/or reproductive stages, a possibility consistent with our recent view as to the evolvability of amyloidogenic proteins (APs) such as α-synuclein (αS) and amyloid-β (Aβ) in the brain. Based on the heterogeneity of protofibrillar AP forms in terms of structure and cytotoxicity, we recently proposed that APs might act as vehicles to deliver information regarding diverse internal and environmental stressors. Also, we defined evolvability to be an epigenetic phenomenon whereby APs are transgenerationally transmitted from parents to offspring to cope with future brain stressors in the offspring, likely benefitting the offspring. In this context, the main objective is to discuss whether NMS might be relevant to evolvability. According to this view, information regarding NMS may be transgenerationally transmitted by heterogeneous APs to offspring, preventing or attenuating the stresses related to such symptoms. On the other hand, NMS associated with Lewy body pathology might manifest through an aging-associated antagonistic pleiotropy mechanism. Given that NMS are not only specific to Lewy body diseases but also displayed in other disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Huntington's disease (HD), these conditions might share common mechanisms related to evolvability. This might give insight into novel therapy strategies based on antagonistic pleiotropy rather than on individual NMS from which to develop disease-modifying therapies.

Interactive Responses of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Plants to Heat Stress and Infection With Potato Virus Y.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) plants are exposed to diverse environmental stresses, which may modulate plant–pathogen interactions, and potentially cause further decreases in crop productivity. To provide new insights into interactive molecular responses to heat stress combined with virus infection in potato, we analyzed expression of genes encoding pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins [markers of salicylic acid (SA)-mediated plant defense] and heat shock proteins (HSPs), in two potato cultivars that differ in tolerance to elevated temperatures and in susceptibility to potato virus Y (PVY). In plants of cv. Chicago (thermosensitive and PVY-susceptible), increased temperature reduced PR gene expression and this correlated with enhancement of PVY infection (virus accumulation and symptom production). In contrast, with cv. Gala (thermotolerant and PVY resistant), which displayed a greater increase in PR gene expression in response to PVY infection, temperature affected neither PR transcript levels nor virus accumulation. HSP genes were induced by elevated temperature in both cultivars but to higher levels in the thermotolerant (Gala) cultivar. PVY infection did not alter expression of HSP genes in the Gala cultivar (possibly because of the low level of virus accumulation) but did induce expression of HSP70 and HSP90 in the susceptible cultivar (Chicago). These findings suggest that responses to heat stress and PVY infection in potato have some common underlying mechanisms, which may be integrated in a specific consolidated network that controls plant sensitivity to multiple stresses in a cultivar-specific manner. We also found that the SA pre-treatment subverted the sensitive combined (heat and PVY) stress phenotype in Chicago, implicating SA as a key component of such a regulatory network.

PO-203 Across generations maternal exercise in hypoxic environment on mitochondrial biosynthetic factors in rat skeletal muscle

Objective Environmental and maternal exercise experienced even during the very earliest stages of life has the potential to cause developmental changes.The growing evidence demonstrated that diverse environmental stressors affect offspring in variousaspects in early stage of lifeand can be transmitted directly or indirectly by both parental lines.The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of across generations maternal exercise training under the hypoxic environment on mitochondrial biogenesis and angiogenesis related protein expressions of skeletal muscle in offspring ofmultiple generations.&#x0D; Methods The experimental groups were divided into four groups as NCON (control in normoxia), NEXE (exercise in normoxia), HCON (control under hypoxia), HEXE (exercise under hypoxia), and studied for three generations. Exercise groups were run on animal treadmill at 60%-75% VO2maxfor one hour per day, five times per week for 10 weeks (seven weeks before conception and during conception for three weeks). Animals were sacrificed at a given time table and assayed mitochondrial biogenesis and angiogenesis related protein expressions using western blotting.&#x0D; Results The major findings from the present study were firstly, maternal exercise training before and during conception under hypoxic environment increase in mitochondrial biogenesis and angiogenesis related proteins expressions in both maternal and offspring skeletal muscles, secondly, long term of exposure to hypoxic environment without exercise training increase in mitochondrial biogenesis and angiogenesis related proteins expressions in offspring skeletal muscles, and further increased when exercise training performed at hypoxic environment, lastly, there was no cumulative benefit by consecutively exposure for three generations under hypoxic environment, which is indicating world winning runners from high altitude dwellers may not relay on the duration of sojourn under hypoxic environment, but rather selection and training related factors.&#x0D; Conclusions In summary, maternal exercise training before and during conception under hypoxic environment increase in mitochondrial biogenesis(PGC-1α, COX-Ⅳ, NRF-1, mtTFA) and angiogenesis(HIF-1α, VEGFtotal) related proteins expressions in both maternal and offspring skeletal muscles, especially exercise training stimulated the protein expressions under hypoxic environment than normoxic condition. Therefore, exercise capacity may be endowed by both hypoxic environment and exercise training at hypoxic environment.&#x0D;

Evolvability and Neurodegenerative Disease: Antagonistic Pleiotropy Phenomena Derived from Amyloid Aggregates.

At present, the precise physiological role of neurodegenerative disease-related amyloidogenic proteins (APs), including α-synuclein in Parkinson’s disease and β-amyloid in Alzheimer’s disease, remains unclear. Because of similar adaptability of both human brain neurons and yeast cells to diverse environmental stressors, we previously proposed that the concept of evolvability in yeast prion could also be applied to APs in human brain. However, the mechanistic relevance of evolvability to neurodegenerative disorders is elusive. Therefore, our objective is to discuss our hypothesis that evolvability and neurodegenerative disease may represent a form of antagonistic pleiotropy derived from the aggregates of APs. Importantly, such a perspective may provide an outlook of the entire course of sporadic neurodegenerative diseases.

Histone Acetyltransferases (HATs) in Chinese Cabbage: Insights from Histone H3 Acetylation and Expression Profiling of HATs in Response to Abiotic Stresses

Histone acetyltransferase (HAT) is known as an epigenetic enzyme that acetylates specific lysine residues on the histone tail to promote chromatin dynamics and gene expression. In higher plants, HATs have been recognized as playing a fundamental role in plant development, growth, and the response to diverse environmental stresses. In this study, using comprehensive bioinformatic analyses, we identified 15 HATs in genome of chinese cabbage [Brassica rapa (BraHATs)], which are divided into four families. In addition, evolution analysis suggested that the BraHAT genes were duplicated mainly via a segmental duplication event originating 3.05–18.39 million years ago. To determine the effects of abiotic stresses, such as salt, wounding, and drought, on histone H3 acetylation in chinese cabbage, histone H3 acetylation was analyzed via immunoblot analysis, suggesting that the acetylation level of histone H3 increased in response to wounding and salt stresses. Furthermore, the analysis of BraHAT expression patterns using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) suggested that the increased acetylation of histone H3 was related to BraHAT transcripts and/or the functional interplay between HAT and histone deacetylase (HDAC) activities. Taken together, our comparative genomic analysis of HAT genes in this important vegetable crop will provide a solid foundation to further our understanding of epigenetically regulated processes in response to environmental stresses.