Biomedical subjects

Jie Sun

Publications and source records attributed to Jie Sun.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

Functional convergence of rTCA-related carbon-fixation potential and biochemical residue accumulation in seagrass sediments.

Seagrass meadows are globally significant blue carbon ecosystems, yet the microbial and biochemical mechanisms driving sediment organic carbon (SOC) accumulation remain poorly understood. To address this, we employed an integrated approach combining metagenomic sequencing, biochemical assays, and structural equation modeling to investigate carbon cycling in the seagrass and adjacent unvegetated sediments of Swan Lake, China. A total of 115,179 carbon fixation genes and 119,615 decomposition genes were identified, revealing distinct microbial community structures among the habitats. Seagrass sediments harbored more diverse carbon-fixing (CFMs) and decomposing microorganisms (CDMs), with 83 medium-to high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) recovered. While neutral community model analysis indicated that stochastic processes predominantly governed community assembly, functional analyses highlighted specific drivers of sequestration. The reductive tricarboxylic acid (rTCA) cycle emerged as the dominant carbon fixation pathway, with key genes (e.g., aclA, korA) showing strong positive correlations with SOC. Conversely, decomposition pathways for starch and lignin were negatively associated with SOC. Furthermore, seagrass sediments exhibited elevated concentrations of total amino sugars (TAS) and lignin phenols (TLP), which linked significantly to carbon fixation rather than decomposition. PLS-SEM revealed statistically significant associations among seagrass traits, environmental variables, microbial carbon-fixation potential, biochemical residue pools, and SOC, supporting a mechanistic pathway in which enhanced microbial functional potential drives the accumulation of recalcitrant biochemical residues, thereby facilitating long-term carbon retention in sediments. These findings emphasize the pivotal role of microbial anabolism and the accumulation of biosynthetic residues in sediment carbon storage, suggesting a functional convergence in seagrass-driven carbon sinks.

Metagenomics↗

PubMed2026

Multi-omics analysis reveals stage-associated differences in gut immunity and microbiota between juvenile and adult common carp (Cyprinus carpio).

In vertebrates, the development of intestinal immunity is closely associated with dynamic changes in the gut microbiota. However, stage-associated differences in intestinal immunity and gut microbial communities remain poorly characterized in teleost fish. In this study, transcriptomic analysis combined with 16S rRNA gene sequencing was employed to characterize intestinal immunity and gut microbial communities in juvenile and adult common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Transcriptomic profiling revealed marked developmental differences in intestinal immune function. Juvenile carp exhibited a predominantly innate immune phenotype, characterized by elevated expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, antimicrobial peptides, and lysozyme-related genes. This immune profile was accompanied by enhanced mucosal barrier function and a relatively pro-inflammatory intestinal environment. In contrast, adult carp displayed increased expression of genes associated with adaptive immunity, suggesting that adult common carp exhibit relatively stronger adaptive immune characteristics than juvenile fish. Gut microbiota analysis demonstrated significant stage-dependent differences in microbial diversity and community composition. Juvenile fish were enriched with bacterial taxa potentially associated with innate immune activation, whereas adult fish harbored distinct microbial communities linked to intestinal homeostasis and barrier maintenance. Furthermore, correlation analyses identified significant associations between specific microbial taxa and innate immune-related gene expression, suggesting a close association between gut microbiota composition and intestinal immune characteristics in juvenile and adult common carp. Collectively, these findings reveal stage-associated differences in intestinal immunity and gut microbial communities between juvenile and adult common carp, thereby providing insights into intestinal immune characteristics at different developmental stages in teleost fish.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Research progress on the regulatory mechanisms of the PSY promoter.

Carotenoids are essential pigments in the plant photosynthetic apparatus, functioning in light harvesting, photoprotection, and signal transduction, and serving as precursors of vital nutrients such as vitamin A. Phytoene synthase (PSY) is the first rate-limiting enzyme in the plant carotenoid biosynthetic pathway, and its transcriptional regulation primarily depends on cis-acting promoter elements, associated transcription factors, and epigenetic status. The PSY promoter region contains core cis-elements as well as multiple light-, hormone-, and stress-responsive elements, which collectively function as key regulatory sites governing spatiotemporal expression. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in PSY promoter regulation by plant hormones (e.g., abscisic acid, ethylene, jasmonic acid), environmental factors (light signaling, temperature, salinity, and drought), and epigenetic mechanisms (DNA methylation, histone modifications, and chromatin remodeling). In addition, the application of transgenic and biotechnological approaches to PSY promoter regulation is further summarized. Including promoter sequence engineering with precise editing of cis-elements and promoter-targeted CRISPR activation/interference (CRISPRa/i) for tunable transcriptional control. Emphasis is placed on how these signals are integrated at the promoter level. Deeper insights into these mechanisms will provide both theoretical foundations and practical strategies for enhancing carotenoid accumulation and stress tolerance in crops through molecular design.

Promoter Regions, Genetic↗

PubMed2026

Respiratory viral infections prime accelerated lung cancer growth.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the long-term consequences of viral pneumonia, yet its impact on cancer development remains unclear. Here, we show that patients previously hospitalized with severe COVID-19 have an increased risk of subsequent lung cancer. Across multiple murine models, severe respiratory viral infections accelerated lung cancer growth, whereas vaccination mitigated infection-enhanced tumor progression. Mechanistically, prior viral pneumonia reprogrammed the lung into a pro-tumor microenvironment marked by the sustained accumulation of tumor-associated neutrophils and heightened immunosuppression. We observed persistent chromatin remodeling at key cytokine loci in immune and structural cells, linking inflammatory memory to tumor-promoting signals. Therapeutically, combined blockade of neutrophil recruitment and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) restored CD8+ T cell function and suppressed tumor growth. Together, these findings establish a causal link between prior viral pneumonia and lung tumorigenesis, underscoring the need for enhanced surveillance and targeted interventions to reduce post-COVID cancer risk.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

Effect of transgene on salt tolerance of tobacco.

To explore the effects of salt-tolerance gene accumulation on salt tolerance in transgenic plant, we used four types of plant expression vector (N27, N28, N29, and N30) carrying mtlD, mtlD + gutD, mtlD + gutD + BADH, mtlD + gutD + BADH + sacB genes respectively, to transform tobacco through Agrobacterium-mediated method. Transgenic lines were identified through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection. Transgenic lines and non-transgenic plant (CK) were subjected to 6‰ sodium chloride solution stress; then, fluorescence quantitative PCR (FQ-PCR) and salt tolerance indexes were used to assess characteristics. PCR showed the exogenous genes had been integrated into the tobacco genome. FQ-PCR showed under clean water treatment the target genes were expressed in all transgenic plants at the transcriptional level. The transcript abundances of target genes changed with the number of genes increased, and improved following salt stress. Comparative analyses of salt tolerance indexes showed height growth, biomass (except for N29), chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate, Fv/Fm, and PI of all transgenic plants and CK were lower under salt stress than under clean water treatment, to varying degrees. However, the descent ratio was smaller in transgenic plants. A comprehensive evaluation of multiple salt-tolerance indicators performed using the membership function method showed the average salt tolerance of each vector transgenic line was higher than that of CK, and salt tolerance was greater in transgenic polyvalent gene lines than in transgenic monovalent gene lines. The average salt tolerance was N29 > N28 > N30 > N27 > CK. This study provides a theoretical and practical reference for salt tolerance breeding in other plants.

Plants, Genetically Modified↗