Escherichia marmotae has recently emerged as a zoonotic pathogen of growing global significance due to its capacity to acquire and disseminate antimicrobial resistance(AMR).Despite increasing scientific attention,the ...Escherichia marmotae has recently emerged as a zoonotic pathogen of growing global significance due to its capacity to acquire and disseminate antimicrobial resistance(AMR).Despite increasing scientific attention,the global distribution,genomic diversity,and evolutionary dynamics of AMR within this species remain largely unknown.This study conducted the first comprehensive global assessment of E.marmotae population structure,distribution,phylogeny,and resistance profiles using 273high-quality genomes spanning 1950–2025 from the National Center for Biotechnology Information(NCBI)database.Isolates originated from 21 countries,with a pronounced geographic skew toward New Zealand(52.0%),and were predominantly isolated from environmental(61.5%)and animal(30.8%)sources.Phylogenetic reconstruction uncovered extensive crossspecies and transboundary transmission,with ST133representing the most dominant lineage.The overall antimicrobial resistance gene(ARG)carriage rate was11.7%,including clinically significantβ-lactamases such as bla KPC and bla CTX-M.Resistance to aminoglycoside andβ-lactam was most frequently observed.Plasmids were identified in 75.8%of isolates,particularly of the Inc FIB and Inc FII types.Notably,bla KPC-2 was identified in E.marmotae for the first time,predominantly embedded within IS1182-bla TEM-1B-bla KPC-2-IS1182-associated plasmid structures,highlighting its high potential for interspecies gene exchange.This global genomic atlas of E.marmotae offers key insights into the geographic dissemination and interspecies dynamics of AMR within this emerging zoonotic bacterium.展开更多
The Himalayan marmot Marmota himalayana is widely distributed across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and lives in social groups,yet the mating system of this highly social marmot species is unknown.In this study,the genet...The Himalayan marmot Marmota himalayana is widely distributed across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and lives in social groups,yet the mating system of this highly social marmot species is unknown.In this study,the genetic mating system of Himalayan marmots was inves-tigated using microsatellite markers to determine which mating strategies individuals employ.Results revealed that both monogamous and polygamous mating relationships occur in our study population,indicating that the genetic mating system of this marmot species is promiscuity.This study presents the first genetic evidence on the mating system for Himalayan marmots,yet indicates that further studies employing both a genetic and behavioral framework are needed to better understand the social structure and reproductive biology of this marmotspecies.展开更多
AIM： To demonstrate the feasibility of using woodchuck samples on human microarrays, to provide insight into pathways involving positron emission tomography （PET） imaging tracers and to identify genes that could be...AIM： To demonstrate the feasibility of using woodchuck samples on human microarrays, to provide insight into pathways involving positron emission tomography （PET） imaging tracers and to identify genes that could be potential molecular imaging targets for woodchuck hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS： Labeled cRNA from woodchuck tissue samples were hybridized to Affymetrix U133 plus 2.0 GeneChips. Ten genes were selected for validation using quantitative RT-PCR and literature review was made. RESULTS： Testis enhanced gene transcript （BAX Inhibitor 1）, alpha-fetoprotein, isocitrate dehydrogenase 3 （NAD＋） beta, acetyI-CoA synthetase 2, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2, and N-myc2 were up-regulated and spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase was down-regulated in the woodchuck HCC. We also found previously published results supporting 8 of the 10 most up-regulated genes and all 10 of the 10 most downregulated genes. CONCLUSION： Many of our microarray results were validated using RT-PCR or literature search. Hence, we believe that woodchuck HCC and non-cancerous liver samples can be used on human microarrays to yield meaningful results.展开更多
The objective of this study is to express the carbohydrate recognition domain （CRD） of the asialoglycoprotein receptor （ASGPR） H1 and H2 subunits of Marmota himalayan in vitro, and develop polyclonal antibodies ag...The objective of this study is to express the carbohydrate recognition domain （CRD） of the asialoglycoprotein receptor （ASGPR） H1 and H2 subunits of Marmota himalayan in vitro, and develop polyclonal antibodies against the recombinant proteins. RT-PCR was used to amplify ASGPR CRDH1 and CRDH2 from the liver tissue of Marmota himalayan. The products of amplification were subcloned into prokaryotic expression vector pRSET-B, and expressed in E.coli BL21（DE3）plysS. The recombinant proteins were purified using Ni-NTA spin column. The purified proteins were inoculated into BALB/c mice to develop polyclonal antibodies. The sensitivity and specificity of antibodies were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）, Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining （IHC）. The polyclonal antibodies showed high sensitivity and specificity against both denaturated and native ASGPR proteins. We successfully amplified and expressed the ASGPR CRDs of Marmota himalayan. The nucleic sequences of ASGPR CRDH1 and CRDH2 of Marmota himalayan have been submitted to Genbank and the sequence ID are DQ 845465 and DQ845466, respectively. The proteins and antibodies prepared can be used for targeting gene therapy in a new animal model-Marrnota himalayan—— for the research of infectious diseases of hepatitis viruses and liver cancer treatment.展开更多
Few studies have examined the succession of plant communities in the alpine zone.Studying the succession of plant communities is helpful to understand how species diversity is formed and maintained.In this study,we u...Few studies have examined the succession of plant communities in the alpine zone.Studying the succession of plant communities is helpful to understand how species diversity is formed and maintained.In this study,we used species inventories,a molecular phylogeny,and trait data to detect patterns of phylogenetic and functional community structure in successional plant communities growing on the mounds of Himalayan marmots(Marmota himalayana)on the southeast edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.We found that phylogenetic and functional diversities of plant communities on marmot mounds tended to cluster during the early to medium stages of succession,then trended toward overdispersion from medium to late stages.Alpine species in early and late stages of succession were phylogenetically and functionally overdispersed,suggesting that such communities were assembled mainly through species interactions,especially competition.At the medium and late stages of succession,alpine communities growing on marmot mounds were phylogenetically and functionally clustered,implying that the communities were primarily structured by environmental filtering.During the medium and late stages of succession the phylogenetic and functional structures of plant communities on marmot mounds differed significantly from those on neighboring sites.Our results indicate that environmental filtering and species interactions can change plant community composition at different successional stages.Assembly of plant communities on marmot mounds was promoted by a combination of traits that may provide advantages for survival and adaptation during periods of environmental change.展开更多
With the improvement of transportation and the rise of tourism on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau,the scope of human activities has continuously expanded,increasing opportunities for contact with wildlife,also exacerbating...With the improvement of transportation and the rise of tourism on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau,the scope of human activities has continuously expanded,increasing opportunities for contact with wildlife,also exacerbating the outbreak rate of zoonotic emerging infectious diseases.Currently,research on the gut microbiota of wildlife,especially Marmota himalayana(M.himalayana),which are reservoir hosts for plague,is scarce.In this study,we investigated the composition,function,and regional variations of the gut microbiota in M.himalayana based on the metagenomic sequencing of 45 fecal samples from the Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve in Qinghai Province.The results indicated that at the phylum level,the dominant bacterial phyla in the gut microbiota of the M.himalayana were Firmicutes,Bacteroidota,and Proteobacteria,collectively accounting for 74.16% of the community.At the genus level,the top three most abundant genera were Alistipes(11.86%±1.56%),Bacteroides(6.68%±0.95%),and Clostridium(4.92%±1.04%).Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG)database annotation results showed that the most enriched functional categories of the marmot gut microbiota were metabolism,genetic information processing(GIP),and environmental information processing(EIP).These active functions played a crucial role in food digestion,nutrient absorption,metabolic balance maintenance,and pathogen defense,aiding the marmot in better adapting to the extreme environment of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.The study provided critical insights into host-microbe interactions,highlighting the role of microbiota in the survival and conservation of endangered species in unique habitats.展开更多
基金supported by the“Leading Goose”R&D Program of Zhejiang Province(2023C03045,2024C03217)Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(LY23C180001)+1 种基金Research Funds of Hangzhou Institute for Advanced StudyUCAS(2023HIAS-Y031)。
文摘Escherichia marmotae has recently emerged as a zoonotic pathogen of growing global significance due to its capacity to acquire and disseminate antimicrobial resistance(AMR).Despite increasing scientific attention,the global distribution,genomic diversity,and evolutionary dynamics of AMR within this species remain largely unknown.This study conducted the first comprehensive global assessment of E.marmotae population structure,distribution,phylogeny,and resistance profiles using 273high-quality genomes spanning 1950–2025 from the National Center for Biotechnology Information(NCBI)database.Isolates originated from 21 countries,with a pronounced geographic skew toward New Zealand(52.0%),and were predominantly isolated from environmental(61.5%)and animal(30.8%)sources.Phylogenetic reconstruction uncovered extensive crossspecies and transboundary transmission,with ST133representing the most dominant lineage.The overall antimicrobial resistance gene(ARG)carriage rate was11.7%,including clinically significantβ-lactamases such as bla KPC and bla CTX-M.Resistance to aminoglycoside andβ-lactam was most frequently observed.Plasmids were identified in 75.8%of isolates,particularly of the Inc FIB and Inc FII types.Notably,bla KPC-2 was identified in E.marmotae for the first time,predominantly embedded within IS1182-bla TEM-1B-bla KPC-2-IS1182-associated plasmid structures,highlighting its high potential for interspecies gene exchange.This global genomic atlas of E.marmotae offers key insights into the geographic dissemination and interspecies dynamics of AMR within this emerging zoonotic bacterium.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32171487)State Forestry and Grassland Administration Bureau of ChinaPostdoctoral Research Grants at the Central South University of Forestry and Technology(45220003).
文摘The Himalayan marmot Marmota himalayana is widely distributed across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and lives in social groups,yet the mating system of this highly social marmot species is unknown.In this study,the genetic mating system of Himalayan marmots was inves-tigated using microsatellite markers to determine which mating strategies individuals employ.Results revealed that both monogamous and polygamous mating relationships occur in our study population,indicating that the genetic mating system of this marmot species is promiscuity.This study presents the first genetic evidence on the mating system for Himalayan marmots,yet indicates that further studies employing both a genetic and behavioral framework are needed to better understand the social structure and reproductive biology of this marmotspecies.
基金an NIH grant CA095307 (Z. Lee, PI)by the Gene Expression Array Core Facility of the Comprehensive Cancer Center of Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals of Cleveland, No. P30 CA43703
文摘AIM： To demonstrate the feasibility of using woodchuck samples on human microarrays, to provide insight into pathways involving positron emission tomography （PET） imaging tracers and to identify genes that could be potential molecular imaging targets for woodchuck hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS： Labeled cRNA from woodchuck tissue samples were hybridized to Affymetrix U133 plus 2.0 GeneChips. Ten genes were selected for validation using quantitative RT-PCR and literature review was made. RESULTS： Testis enhanced gene transcript （BAX Inhibitor 1）, alpha-fetoprotein, isocitrate dehydrogenase 3 （NAD＋） beta, acetyI-CoA synthetase 2, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2, and N-myc2 were up-regulated and spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase was down-regulated in the woodchuck HCC. We also found previously published results supporting 8 of the 10 most up-regulated genes and all 10 of the 10 most downregulated genes. CONCLUSION： Many of our microarray results were validated using RT-PCR or literature search. Hence, we believe that woodchuck HCC and non-cancerous liver samples can be used on human microarrays to yield meaningful results.
基金This project was supported by grants from National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (No 30571646)the Na-tional Basic Research Program (Program 973, No 2005CB522901)
文摘The objective of this study is to express the carbohydrate recognition domain （CRD） of the asialoglycoprotein receptor （ASGPR） H1 and H2 subunits of Marmota himalayan in vitro, and develop polyclonal antibodies against the recombinant proteins. RT-PCR was used to amplify ASGPR CRDH1 and CRDH2 from the liver tissue of Marmota himalayan. The products of amplification were subcloned into prokaryotic expression vector pRSET-B, and expressed in E.coli BL21（DE3）plysS. The recombinant proteins were purified using Ni-NTA spin column. The purified proteins were inoculated into BALB/c mice to develop polyclonal antibodies. The sensitivity and specificity of antibodies were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）, Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining （IHC）. The polyclonal antibodies showed high sensitivity and specificity against both denaturated and native ASGPR proteins. We successfully amplified and expressed the ASGPR CRDs of Marmota himalayan. The nucleic sequences of ASGPR CRDH1 and CRDH2 of Marmota himalayan have been submitted to Genbank and the sequence ID are DQ 845465 and DQ845466, respectively. The proteins and antibodies prepared can be used for targeting gene therapy in a new animal model-Marrnota himalayan—— for the research of infectious diseases of hepatitis viruses and liver cancer treatment.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(Grant No.31560063)Applied Basic Research Program of Yunnan Province,China(2018FB067).
文摘Few studies have examined the succession of plant communities in the alpine zone.Studying the succession of plant communities is helpful to understand how species diversity is formed and maintained.In this study,we used species inventories,a molecular phylogeny,and trait data to detect patterns of phylogenetic and functional community structure in successional plant communities growing on the mounds of Himalayan marmots(Marmota himalayana)on the southeast edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.We found that phylogenetic and functional diversities of plant communities on marmot mounds tended to cluster during the early to medium stages of succession,then trended toward overdispersion from medium to late stages.Alpine species in early and late stages of succession were phylogenetically and functionally overdispersed,suggesting that such communities were assembled mainly through species interactions,especially competition.At the medium and late stages of succession,alpine communities growing on marmot mounds were phylogenetically and functionally clustered,implying that the communities were primarily structured by environmental filtering.During the medium and late stages of succession the phylogenetic and functional structures of plant communities on marmot mounds differed significantly from those on neighboring sites.Our results indicate that environmental filtering and species interactions can change plant community composition at different successional stages.Assembly of plant communities on marmot mounds was promoted by a combination of traits that may provide advantages for survival and adaptation during periods of environmental change.
基金supported by the Key Research and Development and Transformation Plan of Qinghai Province,China(Grant No.2025-QY-208)National Natural Science Foundation of China,China(Grant No.82460660)Entrepreneurship and Innovation Team for Disease Vector Prevention and Control Research in Qinghai,China.
文摘With the improvement of transportation and the rise of tourism on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau,the scope of human activities has continuously expanded,increasing opportunities for contact with wildlife,also exacerbating the outbreak rate of zoonotic emerging infectious diseases.Currently,research on the gut microbiota of wildlife,especially Marmota himalayana(M.himalayana),which are reservoir hosts for plague,is scarce.In this study,we investigated the composition,function,and regional variations of the gut microbiota in M.himalayana based on the metagenomic sequencing of 45 fecal samples from the Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve in Qinghai Province.The results indicated that at the phylum level,the dominant bacterial phyla in the gut microbiota of the M.himalayana were Firmicutes,Bacteroidota,and Proteobacteria,collectively accounting for 74.16% of the community.At the genus level,the top three most abundant genera were Alistipes(11.86%±1.56%),Bacteroides(6.68%±0.95%),and Clostridium(4.92%±1.04%).Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG)database annotation results showed that the most enriched functional categories of the marmot gut microbiota were metabolism,genetic information processing(GIP),and environmental information processing(EIP).These active functions played a crucial role in food digestion,nutrient absorption,metabolic balance maintenance,and pathogen defense,aiding the marmot in better adapting to the extreme environment of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.The study provided critical insights into host-microbe interactions,highlighting the role of microbiota in the survival and conservation of endangered species in unique habitats.
