Goldfish have been subjected to over 1,000 y of intensive domestication and selective breeding. In this report, we describe a high-quality goldfish genome (2n = 100), anchoring 95.75% of contigs into 50 pseudochromosomes. Comparative genomics enabled us to disentangle the two subgenomes that resulted from an ancient hybridization event. Resequencing 185 representative goldfish variants and 16 wild crucian carp revealed the origin of goldfish and identified genomic regions that have been shaped by selective sweeps linked to its domestication. Our comprehensive collection of goldfish varieties enabled us to associate genetic variations with a number of well-known anatomical features, including features that distinguish traditional goldfish clades. Additionally, we identified a tyrosine-protein kinase receptor as a candidate causal gene for the first well-known case of Mendelian inheritance in goldfish—the transparent mutant. The goldfish genome and diversity data offer unique resources to make goldfish a promising model for functional genomics, as well as domestication.

Magnesium-mediated Barbier-Grignard type alkylation of aldehydes with alkyl halides was studied in aqueous media. The reaction of aromatic aldehydes with allyl halides is highly effective with either THF or water as the reaction solvent but poor in a mixture of THF/water. It was found that the magnesium-mediated allylation of aldehydes with allyl bromide and iodide proceeds effectively in aqueous 0.1 N HCl or 0.1 N NH(4)Cl. Aromatic aldehydes reacted chemoselectively in the presence of aliphatic aldehydes. An exclusive selectivity was also observed when both aliphatic and aromatic aldehyde functionalities are present in the same molecule. In the absence of allyl halides, aldehydes and ketones reacted with magnesium in aqueous 0.1 N NH(4)Cl to form the corresponding pinacol coupling products in high yields. The effectiveness of the pinacol reaction was strongly influenced by the steric environment surrounding the carbonyl group. Aliphatic aldehydes and simple alkyl halides appear inert under the reaction conditions for either alkylation or the pinacol coupling reaction.

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Recent advances in the development of anti-inflammatory agents have improved their therapeutic outcome in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), however, the presence of side effects and limited effectiveness hinder their widespread use. Therefore, novel compounds with strong anti-inflammatory efficacy are still required. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect and potential mechanisms of Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino saponins (GpS), a major component of the herbal medicine widely used in Asian countries. In in vitro studies, we demonstrated that GpS dose dependently suppressed activation of macrophages, one of the main effectors in IBD. GpS also suppressed cytokine production and the activation of NF-κB and STAT3 signaling in lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophages, without affecting their viability. Further in vivo studies demonstrated that GpS could ameliorate the weight loss, increased disease activity index, colon shortening and histological damage associated with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. In agreement with results from our in vitro experiments, GpS suppressed cytokine production and activation of NF-κB and STAT3 signaling in the colons of DSS-induced mice.In this study, we present for the first time, evidence of the therapeutic effect of GpS in IBD, highlighting its potential as an effective therapeutic against the disease.