Infection routes of Aeromonas salmonicida in rainbow trout monitored in vivo by real‐time bioluminescence imaging

Recent development of imaging tools has facilitated studies of pathogen infections in vivo in real time. This trend can be exemplified by advances in bioluminescence imaging (BLI), an approach that helps to visualize dissemination of pathogens within the same animal over several time points. Here, we employ bacterial BLI for examining routes of entry and spread of Aeromonas salmonicida susbp. salmonicida in rainbow trout. A virulent Danish A. salmonicida strain was tagged with pAKgfplux1, a dual‐labelled plasmid vector containing the mutated gfpmut3a gene from Aequorea victoria and the luxCDABE genes from the bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens. The resulting A. salmonicida transformant exhibited growth properties and virulence identical to the wild‐type A. salmonicida, which made it suitable for an experimental infection, mimicking natural conditions. Fish were infected with pAKgfplux1 tagged A. salmonicida via immersion bath. Colonization and subsequent tissue dissemination was followed over a 24‐h period using the IVIS spectrum imaging workstation. Results suggest the pathogen's colonization sites are the dorsal and pectoral fin and the gills, followed by a progression through the internal organs and an ensuing exit via the anal opening. This study provides a tool for visualizing colonization of A. salmonicida and other bacterial pathogens in fish.     

Influence of dietary lipid on growth performance and some lipogenesis‐related gene expression of tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) larvae

A 30‐day feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary lipid levels on growth performance, activities of digestive enzymes, fatty acid composition and some lipogenesis‐related gene expression of half‐smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) larvae. Five isoproteic diets were formulated with graded lipid levels (6.68%, 9.84%, 13.47%, 17.89% and 21.88% dry weight) using fish oil as the main lipid source. Each diet was randomly allocated to triplicate groups of 150 larval tongue sole (35 DAH, 54 ± 1 mg). Fish were fed five times daily to apparent satiation during the feeding experiment. Results showed that, the survival rate (SR) of larvae increased significantly firstly, and thereafter decreased significantly. The specific growth rates (SGR) of larvae fed the diet with 13.47% lipid were significantly higher than other treatments. Larvae fed 9.84% or 13.47% dietary lipid showed higher trypsin, lipase, leucine aminopeptidase and alkaline phosphatase (AP) activities than other treatments, whereas amylase activity nearly showed reverse trend with them. The fatty acid composition of the tongue sole larvae was well correlated with dietary fatty acid profile. Expression of acetyl‐CoA carboxylase alpha (ACC1) was found to be slightly negatively correlated with dietary lipid level, and high dietary lipid level depressed the expressions of acetyl‐CoA carboxylase beta (ACC2) and fatty acid synthase (FAS) mRNA expression significantly, implying that larvae may cope with high dietary lipid mainly through down‐regulating lipogenesis‐related gene expression of FAS and ACC2. Besides, on the basis of SGR, the optimal dietary lipid level for larval tongue sole was estimated to be 13.56% using second‐order polynomial curve.     

Genome-wide detection of selective signatures in a Jinhua pig population

The aim of this study was to detect evidence for signatures of recent selection in the Jinhua pig genome. These results can be useful to better understand the regions under selection in Jinhua pigs and might shed some lights on groups of genes that control production traits. In the present study, we performed extended haplotype homozygosity(EHH) tests to identify significant core regions in 202 Jinhua pigs. A total of 26 161 core regions spanning 636.42 Mb were identified, which occupied approximately 28% of the genome across all autosomes, and 1 158 significant(P0.01) core haplotypes were selected. Genes in these regions were related to several economically important traits, including meat quality, reproduction, immune responses and exterior traits. A panel of genes including ssc-mir-365-2, KDM8, RABEP2, GSG1L, RHEB, RPH3AL and a signal pathway of PI3K-Akt were detected with the most extreme P-values. The findings in our study could draw a comparatively genome-wide map of selection signature in the pig genome, and also help to detect functional candidate genes under positive selection for further genetic and breeding research in Jinhua and other pigs.     

适宜机插的优质籼稻品种筛选及其评价指标体系

为了筛选适宜贵州稻区机插的优质籼稻品种，建立适宜机插优质籼稻品种的评价关键指标体系，以近年选育的34个优质籼稻品种为试验材料，在贵州省遵义市湄潭县进行机插试验，对各品种的秧苗素质以及机插条件下水稻分蘖生长、干物质积累、抗倒伏性、产量及其构成因素进行研究。结果表明，机插条件下34个优质籼稻的产量变幅为6.1~10.5 t·hm-2，结合两步聚类算法，以产量为依据将参试品种划分为适宜机插和不适宜机插两类。适宜机插优质籼稻类型主要表现为产量均高于8.25 t·hm-2，其成苗率高、秧苗均匀性好、幼苗健壮；分蘖早生快发，易形成充足的有效穗数；植株能获得较高的花前和花后干物质积累量，并重新分配到籽粒；茎秆粗壮，基部3个节间平均抗折力强，倒伏指数小。综合来看，F优498、晶两优534和蓉18优2348等15个优质籼稻品种适宜贵州地区机插，且适宜机插优质籼稻关键评价指标为：成苗率>85%，秧苗均匀性>1.5苗·cm-2；倒伏指数<150%，基部3个节间平均抗折力>1 500 g；产量>8.25 t·hm-2，有效穗数225×104～300×104 hm-2，每穗粒数>140粒，结实率>75%，成熟期干物质积累量>15 t·hm-2，收获指数>0.45。研究为机插专用优质籼稻品种选育及应用提供理论依据。     

乌鲁木齐市冬春两季宠物源葡萄球菌的耐药性及耐药基因比较

采用琼脂稀释法,检测从乌鲁木齐市部分宠物医院冬季和春季分离鉴定的154株宠物源葡萄球菌(冬季75株、春季79株)对临床常用的12种抗菌药物(阿米卡星、克林霉素、硫酸庆大霉素、氟苯尼考、四环素、利福平、恩诺沙星、青霉素、苯唑西林、阿莫西林/克拉维酸、头孢噻呋、左氧氟沙星)的耐药性;通过卡方检验,比较供试菌耐药性差异;采用PCR方法,检测葡萄球菌的5类9种耐药基因。对抗菌药物的耐药结果显示:冬季葡萄球菌对苯唑西林和青霉素的耐药率高于90.0%,对头孢噻呋和四环素的耐药率高于50.0%;春季葡萄球菌对左氧氟沙星耐药率达92.4%,对苯唑西林和氟苯尼考耐药率高于80.0%。卡方检验结果显示:冬季葡萄球菌仅对苯唑西林的耐药率显著高于春季葡萄球菌(P0.05);春季葡萄球菌对氟苯尼考、利福平、左氧氟沙星、恩诺沙星和阿莫西林/克拉维酸的耐药率均显著高于冬季葡萄球菌(P0.05)。多药耐药差异性结果显示:冬季葡萄球菌多药耐药集中在1～3耐;春季葡萄球菌多药耐药集中在4、6、9耐。基因检测结果显示:冬季葡萄球菌主要检出的基因有ermB(40.0%,30/75)和fexA(22.7%,17/75);春季葡萄球菌主要检出的基因有fexA(39.3%,31/79)和femA(20.3%,16/79),冬、春季葡萄球菌均未检出cfr、fexB和tetA基因。     

Effects of dietary protein and lipid levels on growth performance,fatty acid composition and antioxidant‐related gene expressions in juvenile loach Misgurnus anguillicaudatus

Dojo loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) is one of the most important cultured freshwater fish in several East Asian countries. However, a little information is available in its nutritional requirements. Thus, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding varying levels of dietary protein and lipid on growth, fatty acid composition and antioxidant‐related gene expressions in juvenile loach. Six practical diets at three levels of protein (30%, 40% and 50%) and two levels of lipid (6% and 12%) were fed to loach juveniles (initial weight 0.40 g) in triplicated groups (20 fish per replicated) for a period of 8 weeks. Results showed that regardless of lipid level, body weight gain of fish was significantly increased with incremental dietary protein level. Meanwhile, feed conversion ratio was significantly decreased by dietary protein levels, and the lowest value was observed in fish fed dietary protein levels of 50%, regardless of dietary lipid level. Moreover, the percentage of 22:6n‐3 in viscera was significantly increased by different protein levels. The expression level of catalase was significantly increased with incremental dietary protein level with both lipid levels. Meanwhile, the expression level of hepatic nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) was downregulated with incremental dietary protein level with 6% of lipid level, but the expression was upregulated with incremental dietary protein level with 12% of lipid level. In conclusion, these data suggested that 6% lipid and 50% protein in diet was optimal for loach during early development stage.     

RNA干扰对大鲵蛙病毒主要功能基因表达及其增殖的影响

采用q PCR与病毒滴度测定观察RNA干扰(RNA interference,RNAi)对大鲵蛙病毒(Chinese giant salamander ranavirus,CGSRV)主要衣壳蛋白(major capsid protein,MCP)、甲基转移酶(methyltransferases,MTases)、DNA多聚酶(DNA polymerase)基因表达与病毒增殖的影响。结果表明,小干扰RNA(small interfering RNA,siRNA)能推迟鲤鱼上皮瘤细胞(epithelioma papillosum cyprini,EPC)出现病变,且病变程度也较对照组轻。在各功能基因表达量上,NC-FAM对照组与阴性对照组差异不显著(P0.05);而干扰组的干扰率极显著高于阴性对照组,其中siR-DP-1组siRNA对MCP基因的干扰率为79%,极显著高于其余组(P0.01);siR-MT-1、siR-MT-2组siRNA对MTases基因的干扰率为77%,极显著高于其余组(P0.01);siR-DP-1组siRNA对DNA polymerase基因的干扰率为79%,极显著高于其余组(P0.01)。干扰实验组病毒滴度与NC-FAM对照组和阴性对照组相比也有不同程度的降低。阴性对照组lg TCID50为8.362,NC-FAM对照组lg TCID50为7.848,siR-MCP、siR-MT、siR-DP实验组最低lg TCID50分别为5.764、5.317、5.362。证实RNAi能够抑制CGSRV主要功能基因的表达并影响病毒的复制。     

Genome-wide association mapping of phenolic acids in tetraploid wheats

Phenolic acids are major components of cell walls in wheat and have important implications on human health as antioxidants with anti-tumor activity. Our objectives were to identify phenolic acid genes in wheat by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) detected within the coding sequences of candidate genes, and to identify chromosomal regions associated with single phenolic acids and total soluble phenolic compounds. A set of candidate genes involved in the biosynthesis of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives were identified by comparative genomics. SNPs found in the coding sequences of six genes (PAL1, PAL2, C4H, C3H, COMT1 and COMT2) were used to determine their chromosomal location and accurate map position on two reference consensus linkage maps. The genome-wide association study (GWAS), based on genotyping a tetraploid wheat collection with 81,587 gene-associated SNPs, detected 22 quantitative trait loci (QTL) distributed on almost all durum wheat chromosomes. Two QTL for p-coumaric acid were coincident with the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL2) and p-coumarate 3-hydroxylase (C3H) genes on chromosome arms 2AL and 1AL, respectively. The availability of candidate gene-based markers can allow elucidating the mechanism of phenolic acids accumulation in wheat kernels and exploiting the genetic variability of phenolic acids content for the nutritional improvement of wheat end-products.     

Genetic diversity and antibiotic susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus isolates from wild boars

We here report the occurrence of S. aureus in wild boars and characterize isolates genotypically and phenotypically in order to get knowledge about the occurrence of clonal lineages and genotypes in free-living wild animals. Forty-one S. aureus isolates obtained from 111 wild boars hunted in Lower Saxony, Germany, were investigated and compared to human and livestock isolates. The S. aureus belonged to multilocus sequence types ST1, ST7, ST30, ST133, ST425, ST804, ST890 and to the new ST3237, ST3238, ST3255 and ST3369. The livestock associated CC398-MRSA lineage, however, was not found. In addition to well-known spa types, the new types t14999, t15000, t15001 and t15002 were detected. Macrorestriction analysis revealed a variety of different SmaI fragment patterns. Most isolates were susceptible to all antimicrobials tested, including methicillin, and resistance was detected only to ampicillin, penicillin and erythromycin. PCR analysis confirmed the presence of staphylococcal enterotoxin genes (seh) in all t127-ST1 isolates. A high degree of genetic diversity was detected with many spa types and clonal lineages previously reported in humans and livestock animals.