Screening of lentiviral vectors carrying effective siRNA targeting S1P2 gene

AIM:To screen the lentiviral vector carrying siRNA with higher efficiency of suppressing the sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 2(S1P2) gene expression in the primarily cultured corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).METHODS:SHR and SD rats (n=5 each) were used for primarily culturing corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells.The cells were randomly divided into 6 groups:SHR siRNA-1,SHR siRNA-2,SHR siRNA-3,SHR GFP,SHR control (SHR non-transfection group),and SD control (SD rat control group).Each group had 5 samples with 1.0×10⁵ cells of each sample.At 72 h after transfection (MOI=60) with lentiviral vectors carrying S1P2 siRNA into the SHR corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells,the expression of GFP was observed under fluorescence microscope.The protein expression of S1P2,ROCK1,ROCK2 and eNOS in the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells,and the mRNA expression of S1P2,ROCK1 and ROCK2 were determined by by Western blot and RT-PCR.RESULTS:The transfection efficiency of the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells in SHR siRNA-1,SHR siRNA-2,SHR siRNA-3 and SHR GFP groups were>80%.Compared with SHR control group,the mRNA levels and the protein expression of S1P2,ROCK1 and ROCK2 in SHR GFP group showed no remarkable changes,while those in SHR siRNA-1,SHR siRNA-2,SHR siRNA-3 and SD control groups were significantly lower than those in SHR control group (P<0.05).The protein expression of eNOS in SHR siRNA-1,SHR siRNA-2,SHR siRNA-3 and SHR GFP groups were not significantly changed as compared with SHR control group,but that in SD control group was significantly higher than that in SHR control group.CONCLUSION:Three groups of siRNA lentiviral vectors targeting S1P2 inhibit the expression of S1P2 in the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells of SHR,and by silencing the S1P2 expression,the expression of ROCK1 and ROCK2 is inhibited.Among them,siRNA-1 has the highest inhibitory efficiency.     

Diversity in the carotenoid profiles and the expression of genes related to carotenoid accumulation among citrus genotypes

Carotenoids are not only important to the plants themselves but also are beneficial to human health. Since citrus fruit is a good source of carotenoids for the human diet, it is important to study carotenoid profiles and the accumulation mechanism in citrus fruit. Thus, in the present paper, we describe the diversity in the carotenoid profiles of fruit among citrus genotypes. In regard to carotenoids, such as β-cryptoxanthin, violaxanthin, lycopene, and β-citraurin, the relationship between the carotenoid profile and the expression of carotenoid-biosynthetic genes is discussed. Finally, recent results of quantitative trait locus (QTL) analyses of carotenoid contents and expression levels of carotenoid-biosynthetic genes in citrus fruit are shown.     

Correlation between Mnk2 protein expression and prognosis of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

AIM: To investigate the protein expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase-interacting kinase-2 (Mnk2) and its prognostic effect in the patients with resected esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHODS: A total of 86 informative patients with surgically resected ESCC and 54 normal esophageal tissues were enrolled. Western blot and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were utilized to assess the protein expression of Mnk2, and its correlation with prognosis was statistically analyzed by the methods of Kaplan-Meier curve and Cox proportional hazard mode. RESULTS: The protein expression of Mnk2 was elevated in most of tumor tissues compared with the adjacent tissues. Clinicopathologic analysis showed that Mnk2 expression was significantly correlated with the TNM stage (P<0.05). Both disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of Mnk2 over-expression patients were shorter than those in Mnk2 negative expression group. Multivariate analysis confirmed that Mnk2 expression, as an independent and significant factor for both DFS and OS, predicted a poor prognosis of the patients with resected ESCC (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The expression of Mnk2 was significantly related to the TNM stages, and might be a novel predictor for prognosis in ESCC.     

鸡白细胞介素2的克隆及其序列分析

旨在从分子生物学角度进一步研究鸡免疫刺激因子白细胞介素2(IL-2),探究IL-2蛋白结构。根据GenBank发表的IL-2序列设计引物扩增IL-2基因,将其克隆到p GM-T载体后进行鉴定,鉴定正确的pT-IL-2重组质粒,然后对其进行序列分析。应用生物信息学软件对IL-2序列进行跨膜区、磷酸化位点、氨基酸序列、开放阅读框进行分析和IL-2蛋白的三级结构进行预测。核苷酸序列测定结果表明:IL-2基因片段为430 bp,编码143个氨基酸。生物信息学分析结果表明:本实验获得的IL-2基因编码的蛋白质中含有1个丝氨酸和3个苏氨酸,这可能成为蛋白激酶磷酸化的位点。IL-2蛋白可能在5~28位含有跨膜区。其蛋白二级、三级结构预测结果显示其属于亲水性蛋白,多为α-螺旋、β-转角和N端无规卷曲结构。该结果为IL-2的分子生物学探究奠定了基础。     

水、旱条件下小麦苗期部分农艺性状的遗传分析

为研究水分胁迫对小麦幼苗部分农艺性状的影响,分析这些性状与干旱胁迫的关系。以‘青麦6号’和‘烟农24’杂交形成的F2:3群体为材料,采用主基因+多基因混合遗传模型对其进行遗传分析。水、旱2种条件下,根长和根鲜重均为1对加性-显性效应主基因模型;茎鲜重、茎干重、根干重、根茎鲜重比和根茎干重比的最适遗传模型不同。干旱胁迫条件下,茎鲜重主基因遗传率为37%,茎干重、根长、根鲜重、根干重、根茎鲜重比及根茎干重比主基因遗传率分别是51%、81%、74%、56%、50%、68%。茎鲜重、茎干重、根干重等性状,尽管检测到主基因,但在水旱条件下遗传模型不同,可进一步研究其遗传规律。     

miR-122靶向调控鸡BZW2基因的表达

miR-122(MicroRNA-122)是在肝脏中高表达的miRNA,在肝脏的生长发育和脂类代谢等过程发挥重要作用,BZW2 (basic leucine zipper and W2 domains 2)主要参与蛋白质合成代谢,本研究目的是确定BZW2是否为miR-122调控的靶基因.通过生物信息学预测miR-122的靶基因,并分析BZW2的3-UTR区域与miR-122种子区的配对情况,再用双荧光素酶报告系统和突变实验证明miR-122作用于BZW2的3'UTR.用荧光定量PCR检测转染miRNA-122mimic的鸡(Gallus gallus)肝癌细胞系(leghorn hepatocellar,LMH)细胞和转染LNA-antimiR-122的鸡原代肝细胞中BZW2的表达.鸡BZW2的3'-UTR区域与miR-122种子区互补配对,荧光素酶报告基因和突变实验分析表明,miR-122能够通过与BZW23'-UTR区结合抑制基因的表达;将miR-122在LMH细胞中过表达后,发现BZW2 mRNA表达水平显著下降;利用LNA-antimiR-122抑制鸡肝脏原代细胞中的miR-122后,BZW2 mRNA表达水平呈显著性上升.结果证明BZW2是miR-122的靶基因,其在mRNA水平上受到miR-122的负性调控,本研究为揭示miR-122在鸡肝脏中的广泛的功能提供了理论依据.     

北方森林细根对氮沉降和二氧化碳浓度升高的响应

北方森林是全球第二大生物群区,约占全球森林面积的30%,尽管其细根生物量仅占森林生态系统很小的一部分,但其周转率更快,更易分解,因此,其对土壤碳循环和大气CO_2通量贡献很大。笔者综述了氮沉降和CO_2浓度升高的背景数据,总结了细根对二者变化的响应,主要从细根的形态特征、解剖结构和生理功能方面入手,探讨了其对氮沉降和CO_2浓度升高的响应。结论如下:(1)大气氮沉降量一直处于上升状态,与人类活动密切相关的有机氮量所占比例逐渐加大,而无机氮中NH_4~-N和NO_3~-N的变化趋势表现不同;(2)大气CO_2浓度一直呈上升趋势,细根形态特征、解剖结构和生理功能对其表现出明显的响应;(3)树种、年龄、土壤类型等都会改变细根形态、解剖结构和生理功能对氮沉降和CO_2浓度升高的响应结果,但改变的程度不同。研究结果可为北方森林乃至温带森林生态系统功能对氮沉降和CO_2浓度升高的响应提供参考依据和数据支持。     

砂藓(Racomitrium canescens)抗旱相关基因RcAOS2的克隆及表达分析

丙二烯氧化物合酶(allene oxide synthase, AOS)是茉莉酸合成途径中关键酶,在茉莉酸合成中具有重要的作用。本研究在砂藓(Racomitrium canescens)干旱胁迫转录组数据中发现一个干旱胁迫下表达量上调的AOS基因,将其命名为RcAOS2,我们对RcAOS2的开放阅读框进行了克隆及相关的生物信息学预测分析,并对RcAOS2在砂藓快速脱水和复水过程中的表达量变化进行了检测。结果显示,该基因cDNA全长1 474 bp,开放阅读框长516 bp。RcAOS2编码蛋白质的相对分子质量为4.36 kD,等电点为5.11,不稳定系数为55.02,为不稳定蛋白质;脂肪系数为19.19;RcAOS2蛋白质疏水性较强,属于疏水性蛋白质,存在信号肽,不属于跨膜蛋白质。系统进化分析表明,RcAOS2蛋白质与其他物种AOS蛋白质亲缘关系较远,是具有AOS序列特征的新类型。实时荧光定量PCR分析结果表明RcAOS2基因在砂藓干旱和复水过程中呈现差异性表达,推测RcAOS2可能参与砂藓的干旱胁迫响应和复水回复过程。本研究成果为进一步研究砂藓抗旱基因功能提供理论基础和备选基因资源。     

菊花ClERF1基因的克隆与表达分析

以甘菊叶片为试验材料,采用RT-PCR和Tail-PCR以及生物信息学的方法,研究了甘菊ClERF1及其启动子序列特征、表达模式,以及甘菊ClERF1在低温胁迫下的响应。以期为进一步研究甘菊ClERF1功能提供参考依据。结果表明:ClERF1基因序列全长1 242 bp,最大开放阅读框(ORF)618 bp,可编码206个氨基酸。经理化性质分析,ClERF1分子量23 631.35 Da,理论等电点5.19,不稳定系数53.84,脂肪指数62.04,平均亲水性-0.786,亚细胞定位在细胞核内。系统进化树表明,ClERF1与拟南芥At3g23240亲缘关系最近,属于ERF亚家族。qRT-PCR分析表明ClERF1在叶片中表达最高,其次在茎段中。该研究克隆了ClERF1启动子序列1 534 bp,主要包括低温反应和乙烯响应元件、生长素和茉莉酸甲酯反应元件等。甘菊低温处理幼苗ClERF1表达量显著高于未低温处理的幼苗,其中5℃时ClERF1相对表达量最高。     

酸奶营养品质提升的加工工艺研究

牛奶中含有丰富的活性营养物质,包括乳铁蛋白、免疫球蛋白、乳过氧化物酶、α-乳白蛋白、β-乳球蛋白等。传统工艺生产的酸奶经过高温杀菌,活性营养物质几乎完全损失。为了避免这一情况,本文推出一种新的酸奶生产工艺,生产出的酸奶可保留大部分活性营养物质。首先将牛奶的乳脂进行分离,乳脂部分进行125 ℃、5 s杀菌,脱脂牛奶部分进行75 ℃、15 s杀菌,将两部分料液混合后加入菌种发酵至酸度75~85°T,破乳后冷却后熟8 h以上。经测定,新工艺酸奶中α-乳白蛋白、β-乳球蛋白、乳铁蛋白、免疫球蛋白、乳过氧化物酶含量分别为966 mg/L、1 963 mg/L、23.4 mg/L、102 mg/L、1 025 U/L,远高于传统工艺酸奶的68 mg/L、200 mg/L、0.7 mg/L、14 mg/L、0 U/L。通过对比新工艺与传统工艺酸奶保质期内的活菌数、黏度、酸度和口感,并无显著差异。