BackgroundAdolescent idiopathic scoliosis exhibits high heritability and is one of the most common spinal deformities found in adolescent populations. However, little is known about the disease-causing genes in families with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis exhibiting Mendelian inheritance.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to identify the causative gene in a family with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.MethodsWhole-exome sequencing was performed on this family to identify the candidate gene. Sanger sequencing was conducted to validate the candidate mutations and familial segregation. Real-time QPCR was used to measure the expression level of the possible causative gene.ResultsWe identified the mutation c.2645A>C (p.E882A) within the AKAP2 gene, which cosegregated with the adolescent idiopathic scoliosis phenotypes. AKAP2 is located in a previously reported linkage locus (IS4) on chromosome 9q31.2–q34.2 and has been implicated in skeletal development. The mutation was absent in dbSNP144, ESP6500 and 503 ethnicity-matched controls. Real-time QPCR revealed that the mRNA expression level in the patients was increased significantly compared with the family controls (p<0.0001).ConclusionsAKAP2 was therefore implicated as a novel gene mutated in a Chinese family with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Further studies should be conducted to validate the results from the perspective of both the genetics and pathogenesis of this disease.
SummaryCentipedes are one of the oldest venomous animals and use their venoms as weapons to attack prey or protect themselves. Their venoms contain various components with different biomedical and pharmacological properties. However, little attention has been paid to the profiles and diversity of their toxin-like proteins/peptides. In this study, we used a proteotranscriptomic approach to uncover the diversity of centipede toxin-like proteins in Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans. Nine hundred twentythree and 6,736 peptides, which were separately isolated from venom and torso tissues, respectively, were identified by ESI-MS/MS and deduced from their transcriptomes. Finally, 1,369 unique proteins were identified in the proteome, including 100 proteins that exhibited overlapping expression in venom and torso tissues. Of these proteins, at least 40 proteins were identified as venom toxin-like proteins. Meanwhile, transcriptome mining identified approximately 10-fold more toxin-like proteins and enabled the characterization of the precursor architecture of mature toxin-like peptides. Importantly, combined with proteomic and transcriptomic analyses, 25 toxin-like proteins/peptides (neurotoxins accounted for 50%) were expressed outside the venom gland and involved in gene recruitment processes. These findings highlight the extensive diversity of centipede toxin-like proteins and provide a new foundation for the medical-pharmaceutical use of centipede toxin-like proteins. Moreover, we are the first group to report the gene recruitment activity of venom toxin-like proteins in centipede, similar to snakes.
Cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are considered as important candidate therapeutic agents, which exert potent microbicidal properties against bacteria, fungi and some viruses. Based on our previous findings king cobra cathelicidin (OH-CATH) is a 34-amino acid peptide that exerts strong antibacterial and weak hemolytic activity. The aim of this research is to evaluate the efficacy of both OH-CATH30 and its analog D-OH-CATH30 against clinical isolates comparing with routinely utilized antibiotics in vitro. In this study, 584 clinical isolates were tested (spanning 2013–2016) and the efficacy of the candidate peptides and antibiotics were determined by a broth microdilution method according to the CLSI guidelines. Among the 584 clinical isolates, 85% were susceptible to OH-CATH30 and its analogs. Both L- and D-OH-CATH30 showed higher efficacy against (toward) Gram-positive bacteria and stronger antibacterial activity against nearly all Gram-negative bacteria tested compare with antibiotics. The highest bactericidal activity was detected against Acinetobacter spp., including multi-drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (MRAB) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The overall efficacy of OH-CATH30 and its analogs was higher than that of the 9 routinely used antibiotics. OH-CATH30 is a promising candidate drug for the treatment of a wide variety of bacterial infections which are resistant to many routinely used antimicrobial agents.
Defense against ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure is essential for survival, especially in high-elevation species. Although some specific genes involved in UV response have been reported, the full view of UV defense mechanisms remains largely unexplored. Herein, we used integrated approaches to analyze UV responses in the highest-elevation frog, Nanorana parkeri . We show less damage and more efficient antioxidant activity in skin of this frog than those of its lower-elevation relatives after UV exposure. We also reveal genes related to UV defense and a corresponding temporal expression pattern in N. parkeri . Genomic and metabolomic analysis along with large-scale transcriptomic profiling revealed a time-dependent coordinated defense mechanism in N. parkeri . We also identified several microRNAs that play important regulatory roles, especially in decreasing the expression levels of cell cycle genes. Moreover, multiple defense genes (i.e., TYR for melanogenesis) exhibit positive selection with function-enhancing substitutions. Thus, both expression shifts and gene mutations contribute to UV adaptation in N. parkeri . Our work demonstrates a genetic framework for evolution of UV defense in a natural environment.
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