Myofibrillar proteolysis in chick muscle cell cultures during heat stress

The effect of heat stress on protein oxidation and myofibrillar proteolysis in chick myotubes was investigated. Myotubes were incubated at 37 or 41°C for 6 and 24 h. Protein carbonyl content, as an index of protein oxidation, increased more at 41°C than at 37°C for 6 and 24 h incubations. N^τ‐methylhistidine release as an index of myofibrillar proteolysis also increased more at 41°C than at 37°C for 6 and 24 h incubations. Proteasome activity also increased more under those same conditions. Calpain and cathepsin D but not B + L activities showed a greater increase at 41°C than at 37°C for 24 but not the 6 h incubation. These results indicate that heat stress increases protein oxidation and proteasome activity, resulting in an increase in myofibrillar proteolysis for short‐term incubation and, for long‐term incubation, it increases calpain, proteasome and cathepsin D activities, finally accelerating myofibrillar proteolysis in chick myotubes.     

C-reactive protein concentrations in canine acute pancreatitis

Objective: To determine if C‐reactive protein (CRP) concentration is elevated in spontaneously occurring canine acute pancreatitis (AP), and to measure changes in CRP during the course of hospitalization. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine Foster Hospital for Small Animals. Animals: Sixteen client‐owned dogs with AP and 16 healthy controls. Interventions: Blood samples were obtained from the AP group on the day of diagnosis (Day 1), and on Days 3 and 5, unless the dog died or was discharged from the hospital. Blood was obtained from the control dogs once. Measurements and main results: Serum CRP was measured using a commercial immunoassay for each dog with AP and for healthy controls. Day 1 CRP concentrations were significantly higher in the AP group (56.1±12.7 μg/mL) compared with controls (2.8±1.3 μg/mL; P<0.001). For the 7 dogs that had samples collected on all 3 days, the mean CRP concentrations decreased significantly (P=0.043) over the 5 days of measurement. Of the 16 dogs with AP, 14 were discharged from the hospital and 2 were euthanized. Conclusions: Serum CRP concentrations were elevated in this group of 16 dogs with spontaneously occurring AP. In the 7 dogs that had measurements on all 3 days, the mean CRP concentration decreased from the day of diagnosis to the measurement made 5 days later.     

Expression of the tobacco β-1,3-glucanase gene, PR-2d, following induction of SAR with Peronospora tabacina

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is induced following inoculation of Peronospora tabacina sporangia into the stems of Nicotiana tabacum plants highly susceptible to the pathogen. Previous results have shown that accumulation of acidic β-1,3-glucanases (PR-2's) following induction of SAR by P. tabacina may contribute to resistance to P. tabacina. We showed that up-regulation of the PR-2 gene, PR-2d, following stem inoculation with P. tabacina, is associated with SAR. Studies using plants transformed with GUS constructs containing the full length promoter from PR-2d or promoter deletions, provided evidence that a previously characterized regulatory element that is involved in response to salicylic acid (SA), may be involved in regulation of PR-2d following induction of SAR with P. tabacina. This work provides evidence that regulation of PR-2 genes during P. tabacina-induced SAR may be similar to regulation of these genes during infection of N-gene tobacco by TMV or following exogenous application of SA, and provides further support for the role of SA in regulation of genes during P. tabacina-induced SAR.     

Isolation of two strains of a new Tombusvirus (Havel river virus, HaRV) from surface waters in Germany

Two virus isolates from water samples — one from a small stream in South Western Germany and another one from the Havel river in North Eastern Germany c. 500 km away, proved to be strains, named S and H, respectively, of a new Tombusvirus for which the name Havel river virus (HaRV) had been suggested previously in a brief account. Immunoelectron microscopical decoration tests and sequence comparisons of the coat proteins indicated that the two HaRV strains are only distantly related to known Tombusviruses. The closest relationships were found to Cucumber necrosis virus. Nothing is known about their natural hosts. Because the S strain of HaRV was isolated in a woody area from a small stream close to its origin, they may be pathogens of trees or wild plants in such habitats.     

西安荷斯坦奶牛群5个基因座位遗传多态性的PCR-RFLP分析

应用PCR-RFLP方法对西安荷斯坦牛的κ-en、β-lg、β-lg5′侧翼区、CSN1S2、IGFBP-3共5个基因座位进行了多态性分析。结果表明，在西安荷斯坦牛群中，没有发现携带CSN1S2^P等位基因的个体，其多态信息含量为0。κ-en基因座位呈现低度多态(PIC=0．2366)，β-lg、β-lg5′侧翼区、IGFBP-3基因座位的多态信息含量分别为0．3168、0．3689、0．4439，均呈现中度多态。κ-en、β-lg、β-lg5′侧翼区、IGFBP-3、CSNIS2基因座位的杂合度和DNA多态度分别为0．2742、0．3947、0．4879、0．4891、0和0．0255、0．0116、0．0333、0．0112、0。而且，在西安荷斯坦牛群中，κ-en、β-lg、β-lg5′侧翼区、IGFBP-3共4个基因座位均处于Hardy-Weinberg平衡状态，CSN1S2基因座位处于纯合状态。     

猪2型圆环病毒核酸疫苗免疫效应研究

PCR扩增PCV2 ORF2和BVP22基因。将ORF2基因克隆入真核表达载体pCDNA3．1（＋），构建了pCORF2作为核酸疫苗免疫小白鼠。同时将具有蛋白转导功能的BVP22基因分别克隆到ORF2基因的上游和下游，使二者融合表达，命名为pCORF2BVP22和pCBVP220RF2。分4组肌肉免疫BALB/c小白鼠，分别注射pCDNA3．1（＋）、pCORF2、pCORF2BVP22和pCBVP220RF2，共免疫2次，间隔2周，分别于首免后2周和二免后4周采血，ELISA法检测体液抗体。同时为在体外验证ORF2和BVP22基因的真核表达，将ORF2和BVP22基因分别克隆入pEGFP-N1载体，构建了pNORF2和pNBVP22，转染Hela细胞后在荧光显微镜下观察到了ORF2和BVP22在体外的瞬时高效表达。结果显示，通过两次免疫后，各疫苗组均产生了针对ORF2的体液抗体，同时证明BVP22可增强核酸疫苗的免疫效果，其中以BVP22在ORF2上游效果更好。本研究为防制猪2型圆环病毒感染提供了较为理想的侯选疫苗。     

耕作方式和秸秆覆盖对旱地麦豆轮作下小麦籽粒产量、蛋白质含量和土壤硝态氮残留的影响

为明确耕作方式和秸秆覆盖对旱地麦豆轮作下小麦籽粒产量、蛋白质含量和土壤硝态氮残留的影响,2014年10月-2016年6月,利用设置在豫西典型旱作区的麦豆轮作栽培模式长期定位试验,选取传统翻耕、翻耕覆盖、旋耕和旋耕覆盖4个处理,比较了小麦氮素吸收利用、籽粒产量、蛋白质含量以及土壤硝态氮残留量。结果表明,与翻耕相比,旋耕不影响小麦产量,但花后氮素积累量、籽粒蛋白质含量和蛋白质产量分别降低60.0%、8.6%和13.0%,而成熟期0~200 cm土层硝态氮残留量显著提高28.6%。同一耕作方式下,秸秆覆盖较无覆盖不仅显著提高了穗数、穗粒数、千粒重和收获指数,还提高了拔节前和开花后的氮素积累量,促进了营养器官氮素向籽粒中转运,从而使翻耕覆盖的籽粒产量、氮素吸收效率、籽粒蛋白质含量和蛋白质产量较翻耕分别提高11.5%、13.5%、7.4%和21.3%,旋耕覆盖较旋耕也分别提高23.0%、39.5%、12.8%和38.5%。在试验进行7年后的小麦成熟期,翻耕覆盖0~200 cm土层硝态氮残留量较翻耕降低31.3%,旋耕覆盖较旋耕也降低51.4%。因此,秸秆覆盖不仅可提高旱地麦豆轮作下小麦产量、蛋白质含量和氮素吸收效率,还能降低土壤硝态氮的残留量,是兼顾旱地小麦高产优质和环境友好生产的有效途径,尤其以旋耕覆盖效果突出。     

外源粪菌干预对受体猪肠道屏障功能的影响研究

为研究外源粪菌干预对受体猪肠道屏障功能的影响,试验选取初生重相近、胎次相同、同日出生的杜×长×大三元杂交哺乳仔猪12窝,随机分为2组,每组6窝(每窝10~12头)。试验组于1~10日龄隔天灌喂1 m L金华猪粪菌悬液进行外源粪菌干预;对照组灌喂等量无菌0.1 mol/L无菌磷酸盐缓冲液(PBS)。试验期间,仔猪自由哺乳采食和饮水,分别于12日龄和27日龄进行屠宰、采样。结果表明:外源粪菌干预可明显减少腹泻,提高受体猪的平均日增重和成活率(P0.05);外源粪菌干预能显著降低27日龄受体猪肠道隐窝深度(P0.05),显著提高肠道绒毛高度/隐窝深度(P0.05);外源粪菌干预能显著增加肠道杯状细胞数和12日龄肠道分泌型免疫球蛋白A阳性(SIgA~+)细胞数(P0.05),同时显著提高肠道黏蛋白Muc2、紧密连接蛋白ZO-1和Occludin表达水平(P0.05),而27日龄试验组的肠道SIgA~+细胞数与对照组无显著差异(P0.05)。综上可知,外源粪菌干预能通过增加肠道杯状细胞和SIgA~+细胞数、提高黏蛋白和紧密连接蛋白表达的方式调节受体猪肠道屏障功能,具有维持猪肠道功能稳态和促进肠道健康的作用。     

氨基酸与母猪营养

母猪饲养是养猪生产中最重要的环节之一。母猪的营养尤其是蛋白质和氨基酸营养不仅直接影响仔猪的生长性能,而且也对母猪的使用年限和繁殖性能会产生很大影响。母猪蛋白质及氨基酸营养受品种、胎次、母猪体况、产仔数、泌乳量、采食量、哺乳期长短等诸多因素影响,增大了母猪氨基酸营养的研究难度。同时母猪个体较大、研究成本高、试验群体偏小、数据采集困难以及试验误差较大等问题也限制了母猪蛋白质及氨基酸营养的系统研究。本文对母猪的氨基酸营养进行综述,旨在为养猪生产实践中母猪日粮的合理配制提供参考。