Biology subjects

Cheng, P.

Publications and source records attributed to Cheng, P..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2018

Improved performance of microbial fuel cells through addition of trehalose lipids

Electron transfer from microorganisms to the electrode is the key process in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). In this study, a trehalose lipid was added to a Rhodococcus pyridinivorans-inoculated MFC to improve the power output by enhancing electron transfer. Upon trehalose lipid addition, the current density and maximum power density were increased by 1.83 times and 5.93 times, respectively. Cyclic voltammetry analysis revealed that the addition of trehalose lipid increased the electron transfer performance, while electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results proved a decrease in internal resistance. Microscopy images showed that the trehalose lipid-treated bacteria interacted more closely with various fagellum-like contacts, while in the pure trehalose lipid (200 mg/L), pores were obviously observed in the cell surface.\n\nImportanceImproving the power output of microbial fuel cells by the addition of bio-surfactants have been proved to be a novel method. However, only rhamnolipid and sophorolipid are certified to be effective. Trehalose lipid is a common material in cosmetic and bio-medicine industry. Our research broaden the application of bio-surfactant in MFC and preliminarily explain the mechanism.\n\nHighlightsO_LITrehalose lipid enhanced MFC power generation\nC_LIO_LITrehalose lipid decrease MFC internal resistance\nC_LIO_LIPores were observed with the addition of trehalose lipid\nC_LIO_LIAddition of bio-surfactant is a promising way to increase MFC performance\nC_LI

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2017

The ERA-related GTPase AtERG2 associated with mitochondria 18S RNA is essential for early embryo development in Arabidopsis

The ERA (E. coli RAS-like protein)-related GTPase (ERG) is a nuclear-encoded GTPase with two conserved domains: a GTPase domain and a K Homology domain. ERG plays a vital role in early seed development in Antirrhinum majus. However, the mechanism that regulates seed development remains unclear. Blasting the genome sequence revealed two homologies of ERG, AtERG1, and AtERG2 in Arabidopsis. In this study, we found that AtERG2 is localised in the mitochondria and binds mitochondrial 18S RNA. Promoter and transcript analyses indicated that AtERG2 was mainly expressed in the leaf vein, trichome, mature pollen, and ovule. The mutants of AtERG2 showed recessive lethal, gametophytic maternal effects, silique shortage, and early seed abortion, in which some seeds arrested in the zygotic stage at 1.5 days after pollination (DAP) and aborted at 2.0 DAP in aterg2-1 +/-. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulated at 1.5 DAP in the arrested seeds, and the transcription of several ROS-responsible genes, WRKY40, ANAC017, and AOXla, was up-regulated in the aterg2-1 +/- seeds which were arrested 1.5 and 2.0 DAP but not in wild-type (WT) and aterg2-1 +/- seeds. The cell death-related gene BAG6 was also transcriptionally activated in aterg2-1 +/- seeds arrested at 2.0 DAP. Chloramphenicol treatment during pollination induced a similar phenotype and gene expression pattern but showed no transcriptional changes of ANAC017 in WT. These results suggested that AtERG2 promotes early seed development by affecting the maturation of the mitochondria ribosome small subunit and mitochondrial protein translation in Arabidopsis.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2017

Improving Leukemic CD34+/CD38- Blasts Characterization With Single-Cell Transcriptome Sequencing

SUMMARY / ABSTRACTAcute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a particularly aggressive blood cancer that is difficult to treat because of the incomplete eradication of rare blast cells that possess self-renewal and leukemia-initiating properties. To characterize resistant blasts, we analyzed for the first time the transcriptomes of individual CD34+/CD38- blasts by single-cell mRNA sequencing of 359 CD33+/CD34+/CD38-/+ sorted cells from two patients with AML and four unaffected individuals. We demonstrated that the captured blasts possess the transcriptomic hallmarks of self-renewal and leukemia-initiating ability. The effects of somatic mutations on the cancer cells are visible at the transcriptional level, and the cellular signaling pathway activity of the blasts is altered, revealing disease-associated gene networks. We also identified a core set of transcription factors that were co-activated in blasts, which suggests a joint transcription program among blasts. Finally, we revealed that leukemogenesis and putative prognostic gene-expression signatures are present at diagnosis in leukemic CD33+/CD34+/CD38- cells and can be detected using a single-cell RNA sequencing approach.

cancer biology↗