Project description:RNA-seq analysis was performed by BGI-Tech of China, and RNA-seq library preparation and sequencing were performed by BGI (Shenzhen, China).
Project description:Oysters are ecological engineers, and previous studies have examined their role as competent facilitators of ecological restoration. However, the decisive role of oysters in the aquatic environment is still debatable because oyster biodeposition (OBD) may also increase the nutrients enriched in sediments. In order to better interpret this problem, we sampled sediment cores from representative oyster culture areas and uncultured areas in Shenzhen Bay. The results have shown that the TOC (total organic carbon) and TN (total nitrogen) decreased significantly (p < 0.05) at the surface sediment layer (0-20-cm deep) and the sediment layer (20-40-cm deep) of the oyster site compared with the reference site. The decreased TOC and TN were also observed at 60- to 100-cm sediment depth in the oyster site. This indicated that the OBD significantly impacted the concentration of TOC and TN in the sediment. To confirm the alleviative role of OBD, we conducted stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) analyses, which further demonstrated the presence of heavier and less lighter forms of organic carbon and nitrogen sediment. The surface sediment layer (0-20 cm) at the oyster site showed 8% more δ13C‰ compared with the control site (p < 0.05), reflecting the reduction in the TOC. In order to reveal the potential microbial mechanisms involved in OBD, we performed a functional analysis using the Geochip5 advanced microarray technology. Regarding carbon metabolism, we observed that genes (encoding pullulanase, glucoamylase, exoglucanase, cellobiase, and xylanase) involved in the degradation of relatively labile C-based molecules (e.g., starch, cellulose, and hemicellulose) were highly represented in an experimental area (p < 0.05). In addition, microbes in the experimental area exhibited a greater capacity for degrading recalcitrant C (e.g., lignin), which involves glyoxal oxidase (glx), manganese peroxidase (mnp), and phenol oxidase. Among the genes controlling nitrogen metabolism, the genes involved in denitrification, assimilation, ammonification, and nitrification were differentially expressed compared with the control area. These results indicated that microbial metabolic roles might have enhanced the C/N-flux speed and reduced the overall nutrient status. We concluded that OBD alleviates sediment nutrient overload under oyster farming from a microbial ecological perspective in a rapidly urbanized coastal area.
Project description:Nowadays one of the main challenges is moving towards an eco-sustainable agriculture, able to preserve the food production through a reduced use of pesticides. The current global food sustenance by intensive agriculture mainly based on economic crop monocultures drastically reduces the biodiversity increasing the yield losses due to biotic and abiotic stress. To try to ensure yield stability also enhancing the plant resistance responses to promote an eco-sustainable management of plant diseases, a technology based on plasma activated water (PAW), characterized by the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, was tested. Differential expression levels of selected genes involved in the plant defence pathways and the microRNAs composition in PAW treated- micropropagated periwinkle shoots and grapevines were analyzed. The results indicate that PAW treatment enhances plant defence responses at both, transcriptional and post-transcriptional level, leading to an increased synthesis in periwinkle of vinblastine and vindoline, anti-oxidant compounds employed in the pharmaceutical industry and in grapevine of resveratrol that is an important compound for human health.
Project description:Constructed root-channel wetland (CRCW) is a term for pre-pond/wetland/post-pond complexes, where the wetland includes plant-bed/ditch landscape and root-channel structure. Source water out of pre-ponds flows through alternate small ditches and plant beds with root-channels via a big ditch under hydraulic regulation. Then source water flows into post-ponds to finish final polishing. This article aims to explore the potential of components of a pilot CRCW in China on mitigating metals in micro-polluted source water during its initial operation stage. We investigated six heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn, and Pb) in surface sediment, plant-bed subsurface soil, water, and aquatic plants during 2012-2013. Monitoring results showed that pond/ditch sediments and plant-bed soil retained a significant amount of Cr, Ni, and Zn with 93.1%, 72.4%, and 57.5% samples showing contamination factor above limit 1 respectively. Remarkably the high values of metal enrichment factor (EF) occurred in root-channel zones. Water monitoring results indicated that Ni, Zn, and Pb were removed by 78.5% (66.7%), 57.6% (59.6%), and 26.0% (7.5%) in east (west) wetland respectively. Mass balance estimation revealed that heavy metal mass in the pond/ditch sediments accounted for 63.30% and that in plant-bed soil 36.67%, while plant uptake occupied only 0.03%. The heavy metal accretion flux in sediments was 0.41 - 211.08 μg · cm(-2) · a(-1), less than that in plant-bed soil (0.73 - 543.94 μg · cm(-2) · a(-1)). The 1.83 ha wetland has retained about 86.18 kg total heavy metals within 494 days after operation. This pilot case study proves that constructed root-channel wetland can reduce the potential ecological risk of purified raw water and provide a new and effective method for the removal of heavy metals from drinking water sources.
Project description:We evaluated the expression of known human miRNAs in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and normal hepatic tissues from southeast China, and identified the differentially expressed miRNAs in HCC tissues. We use microRNA array platform from CapitalBio Corp. to access the miRNA expression profiles in HCC and non-tumor liver samples from Southeast China. There were 5 HCC samples and 3 non-tumor liver samples in our study. As the microarray platform we used was based on a older version of miRBase, we mapped the probe sequences to a newer version of miRBase before these data was applied to further analysis.