Functional Study Of Bglu3Locus,Apcs Gene And Screening Cellulose-decomposing Microorganisms From Disintegrated Sunflower

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is a multi-factorial disorder with a strong heritablecomponent. Although environmental factors such as diet, lack of exercise, and smoking playa role in atherosclerosis, genetic factors are a major determinant for development of thedisease. Type2diabetes is a multi-factorial, heterogeneous group of disorders, resulting fromdefects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. Low-grade, chronic inflammationcontributes to the development of atherosclerosis and insulin resistance. Our previous workhave found that apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE-/-) mice developed significanthyperglycemia and severe dyslipidemia when fed a western diet. Linkage analysis of anintercross derived from C57BL/6J (B6) and C3H/HeJ (C3H) apoE-/-mice has revealed onesignificant quantitative trait locus（QTL）, named Bglu3, on distal chromosome1(150mb-180mb) that accounts for major variation in fasting plasma glucose level. Bglu3coincideswith loci that have major effects on plasma serum amyloid P（SAP）levels and body weight.In this study，we used standard congenic approach to transfer the chromosomal segmentcontaining Bglu3from donor strain C3H.apoE-/-onto the genetic background of B6.apoE-/-strain, and confirmed the effect of Bglu3on glucose tolerance, plasma SAP level andatherosclerotic susceptibility by comparing the phynotype difference between congenic strainand the background strain. Apcs is the coding gene of SAP. Apcs mRNA level in the liverwas2.76-fold higher in congenic mice than in B6.apoE-/-mice. Sequence analysis of theApcs gene and its proximal promoter region revealed9single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) between B6and C3H mice. Apcs is a main candidate gene associating with glucosetolerance and atherosclerotic susceptibility. To directly evaluate the role of Apcs in glucosetolerance and atherosclerotic susceptibility, we constructed transgenic mice expressing C3HApcs. Transgenic mice were kept as heterozygotes for the transgene. Phonetype resultsshowed Apcs is contributing to glucose intolerance and atherosclerotic lesion formation.An individual plant of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) was discovered which wasdisintegrated highly since its biomass cellulose had been degraded. Some cellulose-decomposing microorganisms may existed in the sunflower tissue could highly degradecellulose. After screening, we got8green mildew strains, which could disintegrate thecellulose from filter paper.