Methylation of free-floating deoxyribonucleic acid fragments in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of dogs with chronic bronchitis exposed to environmental tobacco smoke

Background

The etiology of canine chronic bronchitis (CB) is not completely understood, although exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) affects the airway inflammatory responses in some dogs with CB. The mechanism by which this occurs is unknown.

Findings

We investigated the concentrations and methylation rates of free-floating DNA fragments in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from dogs with chronic bronchitis. Based on serum cotinine levels, dogs with CB were divided into 2 groups: dogs that either had or had not been exposed to ETS. Our results demonstrated that the total nucleated cell and macrophage numbers increased in BALF of ETS-exposed dogs with CB. There were no significant differences in DNA concentrations and methylation rates in BALF between the 2 groups. However, 3 out of 8 dogs exposed to ETS had high DNA methylation rates in their BALF samples.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that ETS exposure leads to epigenetic modifications of cellular components in BALF in dogs diagnosed with CB.     

一种适于PCR和LAMP检测的松木中松材线虫DNA快速提取方法

【目的】本研究旨在探索快速、简便地直接从病木中提取松材线虫 DNA 的方法。【方法】运用 Chelex-100结合异硫氰酸胍蛋白变性缓冲液建立新的高效快速提取微量木块中线虫 DNA 的方法,并通过普通 PCR 与环介导等温扩增( LAMP)对提取的 DNA进行检测验证。【结果】建立了提取线虫 DNA 的新方法 Chelex-100法,并对影响提取效率的Chelex-100浓度、冻融时间和煮沸时间进行了优化。Chelex-100法最适Chelex-100终浓度为1.5%( W/V),最适冻融时间为5 min,最适煮沸时间为8 min。与传统的 CTAB法和蛋白酶 K 法比较,Chelex-100法提取的 DNA得率高,相同条件下,该方法提取的 DNA浓度远远大于常规方法。3种方法的 OD260/280比值从大到小依次为CTAB法＞蛋白酶K法≥Chelex-100法,Chelex-100法的OD260/280值显著低于CTAB法,而略低于或等同于蛋白酶K法,但这并不影响对提取的 DNA 进行 PCR 扩增。采用 Chelex-100法提取松木中松材线虫的 DNA,结合常规的PCR和 LAMP检测,检测灵敏度高,特异性强,稳定性好;提取的松材线虫 DNA 的75倍稀释液再稀释32倍后进行PCR扩增,扩增产物电泳依然有清晰的条带。用新方法提取病木中线虫的 DNA 后进行检测,所有带病松木样品的检测结果均呈阳性,而健康黑松、马尾松、油松木屑及盘多毛孢样品的检测结果均呈阴性。此外,该提取方法简便快速,20 min内即可完成整个 DNA的提取;经济方便,试剂保藏无特殊要求,单个样品提取耗费低于3.5元。【结论】Chelex-100法是一种快速有效的提取松木中松材线虫DNA的方法,此方法结合PCR和LAMP检测技术将进一步提高松材线虫的检测效率、灵敏度和准确性,可为松材线虫的野外检测提供可靠的技术依据。     

DNA技术在木材来源鉴定中的应用

DNA技术在木材树种鉴别和产地鉴定方面有较高的准确性,可用于提高木材合法性检验的可信度和木制品产销链跟踪,具有国际通用性和可行性.然而由于DNA技术特点和木材特性,其实际应用尚有一定难度.未来还需加大投资和研发力度,尽快建立公共数据库,发挥其在合法木材贸易中的重要作用.     

土壤微生物总 DNA 提取及其 PCR 优化

采用3种不同土壤微生物总 DNA 提取方法对广东省乐昌杨东山十二度水自然保护区的样地土壤进行比较研究,进一步通过 PCR 扩增,研究牛血清白蛋白(BSA)对整个 PCR 扩增过程的影响。结果表明：试剂盒提取法相对于其他两种提取方法更加方便有效,当土壤样品量比较大时,直接提取法是最经济有效的方法;而在土壤微生物的 PCR 扩增实验中,加入2μl 的 BSA,可以有效地抑制腐殖酸等对后续 PCR 扩增的影响。     

Putting the pieces together: Recent growth,nutritional condition,and mortality of Engraulis anchoita larvae in the Southwest Atlantic

Dynamics of clupeiform fish populations such as anchovy are frequently impacted by environmental variations which can affect the success of the species recruitment. Herein, we have analyzed recent otolith growth rate, RNA/DNA nutritional condition index (sRD), and mortality rate of argentine anchovy larvae Engraulis anchoita from three different nursery areas in the Southwest Atlantic. We have evaluated the relationship between the environmental variables (abundance of copepod nauplii, temperature, chlorophyll‐a concentration, and abundance of E. anchoita larvae) and larval endogenous variables (size, weight, age, and otolith radius) to sRD and recent growth rate. Fast larval growth rates were observed toward the northern sector of the studied area, characterized by higher temperature. High values of sRD were associated with higher nauplii abundance in the proximity of coastal fronts. The larvae with the lowest growths and lowest minimum values of nutritional condition coincided with the area where there was less abundance of nauplii and higher larval mortality. Larval size and nauplii abundance were positive explanatory factors for both recent growth rate and sRD index. Temperature had a positive effect on recent growth rate and a negative effect on sRD index. This condition index was poorly explained in terms of model fit in comparison with the growth model. The results herein provided could be significant to better understand the recruitment of the species, as to determining favorable areas for the growth and survival of anchovy larvae.     

Genetic analysis of clinical and vaccine strains of Bordetella pertussis by Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE), Multi Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) and serotyping

In spite of high vaccination coverage in the Expanded Program of Immunization (EPI), pertussis has not been eradicated yet and the re-emergence of the disease is still reported worldwide. The genetic divergence study of circulating clinical strains of Bordetella pertussis among the population with high vaccination coverage is a useful tool to have an insight in the understanding of genetic patterns of this bacterium and deviation of them from vaccine strains. Different methods are accessible for studying of Bordetella pertussis that can perform appropriate assessment between populations. Strains used in this study were a collection of two pertussis vaccine strains used to create killed pertussis vaccine over years at Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, 10 clinical and 2 reference strains (ATCC9797 and Tohama I) in Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST), Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE), and serotyping. The genetic profiles of vaccine working and master seeds showed no important change(s) in frequencies of fingerprint types investigated in the vaccine strains and had homogeneity in PFGE method where the clinical isolates showed diversity in genetic profile. Serotyping method showed that all of 10 clinical strains expressing Fim 3. In MLST study, seven housekeeping genes including adk, pgm, fum C, tyr B, gly A, pep A and icd were analyzed which showed no changes in the sequence of clinical and vaccine strains with 100% homology. The genes that cause pathogenicity like ptxC, tcfA and fhaB were also evaluated and the results illustrated heterogeneity in the vaccine and circulating strains.     

红富士苹果芽变系DNA甲基化研究

以35份富士苹果(Malus×domestica Borkh.‘Fuji’)芽变材料为试材,利用甲基化敏感扩增多态性(Methylation Sensitive Amplified Polymorphism,MSAP)分析和UPGMA聚类方法,对其基因组甲基化修饰水平、变异模式以及表观遗传变异关系进行研究。结果表明:(1)不同富士系得到不同的MSAP扩增,总DNA甲基化水平27.90%～36.16%,平均32.87%,双链全甲基化为主要甲基化方式;(2)富士芽变材料绝大多数位点保持了原有甲基化模式;(3)绝大多数芽变(68.57%)检测到全部的甲基化变异模式(12种),去甲基化频率极显著高于甲基化频率(P 0.01),且CG去甲基化极显著高于CHG;(4)36份种质遗传相似系数平均值0.89(0.79～0.92),在聚类图上,富士原种分布在芽变系集中区外,新近发生的芽变系更倾向于聚在一起,着色系片红型和条红型芽变呈分散排布状态。总的来看,富士芽变的甲基化变异模式丰富,超甲基化和去甲基化相伴发生,但以去甲基化为主;‘富士’着色芽变与其最原始品种富士,以及芽变之间发生了较大表观遗传变异;片红和条红型芽变聚类未表现明显偏好性。本研究将为进一步开展富士着色系芽变机理研究提供指导,可以CG去甲基化为切入点展开深入研究。     

Immunogenicity of multiple-epitope antigen gene of HCV carried by novel biodegradable polymers

In order to develop a promising vaccine candidate utilizing a combined approach to induce both antibody production and T-cell activity, the DNA fragment containing MA of HCV with five conserved epitopes was synthesized. Two types of HCV vaccine candidates (the DNA type and DNA/polymers) were constructed using MA. PLA-PEG-PLA and PLGA-PEG-PLGA were synthesized and used as micelles with encapsulated plasmid pcDNA3.1(+)-MA. The preparation of copolymers, the cloning and analysis of recombinant plasmid DNA, in vitro expression, and immunogenicity in transgenic mice were evaluated in detail. The results indicated that even single immunization and oral immunization with DNA/polymers achieved satisfying immune responses in vivo tests. As biodegradable and nontoxic triblock copolymers, the novel copolymers demonstrated a great advantage, as they made long-term and single-immunizing vaccines possible; in addition, the copolymers showed a better adjuvant effect and scarcely any side effects.     

基于DNA条形码的红翅大小蠹和黄杉大小蠹分子鉴定

外来有害生物的快速准确鉴定有助于提高口岸检疫效率。红翅大小蠹(Dendroctonus rufipennis)和黄杉大小蠹(D. pseudotsugae)作为大小蠹属的非中国种是我国口岸原木检疫中频繁截获的检疫性有害昆虫。本研究以mtDNA COI基因5′端和3′端序列为标记对红翅大小蠹与黄杉大小蠹的11个样本开展分子鉴定有效性评价。结果显示,当以COI基因5′端和3′端为靶标时,两种大小蠹间的平均遗传距离分别为0.181和0.144,是种内遗传距离的60.3和48倍,且种内、种间遗传距离间无重叠现象,在系统发育树上都能聚为独立的分支,表明mtDNA COI基因5′端和3′端序列均可有效区分红翅大小蠹与黄杉大小蠹。     

Plant regeneration via protoplast electrofusion in cassava

Protoplast electrofusion between callus protoplasts of cultivar TMS60444 and mesophyll protoplasts of cultivar SC8 was performed as an approach for the genetic improvement of cassava. The fusion products were subsequently cultured in protoplast culture medium(TM2 G) with gradual dilution for approximately 1–2 months. Then the protoplast-derived compact calli were transferred to suspension culture medium(SH) for suspension culture. The cultured products developed successively into embryos, mature embryos, and shoots on somatic embryo emerging medium(MSN), embryo maturation medium(CMM), and shoot elongation medium(CEM), respectively. And the shoots were then rooted on Murashige and Skoog(1962) medium(MS). Sixty-six cell lines were obtained and 12 of them developed into plantlets. Based on assessment of ploidy level and chromosome counting, four of these plantlets were tetraploid and the remaining eight were diploid. Based on assessment of ploidy level and simple sequence repeat(SSR) analysis, nine tetraploid cell lines, one diploid variant plant line and nine variant cell lines were obtained. The diploid variant plant line and the nine variant cell lines all showed partial loss of genetic material compared to that of the parent TMS60444, based on SSR patterns. These results showed that some new germplasm of cassava were created. In this study, a protocol for protoplast electrofusion was developed and validated. Another important conclusion from this work is the confirmation of a viable protocol for the regeneration of plants from cassava protoplasts. Going forward, we hope to provide technical guidance for cassava tissue culture, and also provide some useful inspiration and reference for further genetic improvement of cassava.