犬新孢子虫AMA1基因的生物信息学分析及原核表达载体构建

为了解新孢子虫AMA1基因的生物信息学特性,并构建重组原核表达质粒p GEX-4T-1-Nc AMA1。本试验对牛源犬新孢子虫吉林株AMA1基因进行分子克隆,利用生物信息学软件对该基因进行编码蛋白等电点、信号肽、跨膜区、糖基化位点及疏水性分析,并将该基因片段亚克隆至原核表达载体p GEX-4T-1,构建了重组表达质粒p GEX-4T-1-Nc AMA1。结果显示,克隆的Nc AMA1基因片段长1 695 bp,与GenBank(AB265823.1)上发表的基因序列同源性99.9%;Nc AMA1基因编码蛋白等电点为5.43,在其N端及C端分别存在一个跨膜区,为不溶性蛋白,且Nc AMA1蛋白抗原指数较高,有潜在疫苗研究价值。     

Differential diagnosis of dog hookworms based on PCR-RFLP from the ITS region of their rDNA

Species of Ancylostoma infecting dogs and sometimes humans are sympatric in many parts of the world. The establishment of a specific molecular diagnostic tool is important, not only to refine information for epidemiological studies, but also to evaluate the efficacy of vaccine programmes and assist in the development of specific drug treatments. The ITS region from 20 specimens of A. braziliense, collected from three separate geographical areas of Brazil, and from 10 specimens of A. caninum, collected from the same area in Brazil were sequenced and analyzed. Alignment of sequences showed that this gene is highly conserved. The intraspecific polymorphism for both species was less then 1%, whereas the interspecific polymorphism was 6.2, 7.3 and 9.4% between A. ceylanicum and A. braziliense; A. caninum and A. ceylanicum and A. ceylanicum and A. braziliense, respectively. Among the three species it was 12.3%. This revealed the ITS region as highly conserved and consequently a good molecular marker for diagnostic studies. In this work, four restriction enzymes were used in a PCR-RFLP using the ITS region of rDNA, to establish a differential diagnosis which discriminates between three Ancylostoma species, A. braziliense, A. caninum and A. ceylanicum. The best pattern was given by the HinfI enzyme, which produced different fragment sizes for each of the three species. Furthermore, the diagnostic tool differentiates DNA extracted directly from faeces of Ancylostoma-infected dogs.     

Neospora caninum antibodies in wild carnivores from Spain

Serum samples from 251 wild carnivores from different regions of Spain were tested for antibodies to Neospora caninum by the commercial competitive screening enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA) and confirmed by Neospora agglutination test (NAT) and/or by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Samples with antibodies detected by at least two serological tests were considered seropositive. Antibodies to N. caninum were found in 3.2% of 95 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes); in 21.4% of 28 wolves (Canis lupus); in 12.0% of 25 Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus); in 16.7% of 6 European wildcats (Felis silvestris); in 6.4% of 31 Eurasian badgers (Meles meles); in 21.4% of 14 stone martens (Martes foina); in 66.7% of 3 pine martens (M. martes) and in 50% of 2 polecats (Mustela putorius). Antibodies to N. caninum in common genets (Genetta genetta) and Egyptian mongooses (Herpestes ichneumon) were only observed by c-ELISA but were not confirmed by IFAT and/or NAT. No antibodies were detected in 5 Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) by any technique. Statistically significant differences were observed among species and among geographical areas. The highest seroprevalence of N. caninum infection was observed in the Cantabric Coastal region characterized by high humidity. To our knowledge, this is the first report of antibodies to N. caninum in free ranging wild carnivores, other than wild canids, in Europe. The existence of a possible sylvatic cycle could have important implications in both sylvatic and domestic cycles since they might influence the prevalence of infection in cattle farms in those areas.     

新孢子虫病免疫预防研究进展

新孢子虫病是由犬新孢子虫引起的一种原虫病,给养殖业带来严重经济损失。然而因对新孢子虫病的研究起步较晚且认识较浅,对该病的防制手段较为有限。随着对新孢子虫介导宿主免疫应答反应及虫体抗原等多方面的研究不断深入,新孢子虫病的疫苗研制不断取得进步。本研究从宿主抗新孢子虫感染的免疫应答及其在疫苗研制的应用方面进行概述,以期为新孢子虫病疫苗的研制提供参考。     

Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis: An Updated Consensus Statement with a Focus on Parasite Biology,Diagnosis, Treatment,and Prevention

Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) remains an important neurologic disease of horses. There are no pathognomonic clinical signs for the disease. Affected horses can have focal or multifocal central nervous system (CNS) disease. EPM can be difficult to diagnose antemortem. It is caused by either of 2 parasites, Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi, with much less known about N. hughesi. Although risk factors such as transport stress and breed and age correlations have been identified, biologic factors such as genetic predispositions of individual animals, and parasite‐specific factors such as strain differences in virulence, remain largely undetermined. This consensus statement update presents current published knowledge of the parasite biology, host immune response, disease pathogenesis, epidemiology, and risk factors. Importantly, the statement provides recommendations for EPM diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.     

牛源犬新孢子虫孕鼠感染模型的建立

为建立牛源犬新孢子虫孕鼠感染模型,深入研究牛源犬新孢子虫对孕鼠的致病作用,本试验以雌性BALB/c小鼠为试验动物,分离Vero细胞中培养的牛源犬新孢子虫速殖子,分不同剂量组腹腔接种雌性BALB/c小鼠后,与雄性BALB/c小鼠合笼,每天观察小鼠临床症状和发病情况,观察主要脏器组织的病理变化,应用PCR方法检测孕鼠脑、肝脏、脾脏等脏器组织及胎盘中犬新孢子虫Nc5基因,并测定孕鼠胎盘湿重和胎盘系数。结果显示,感染模型小鼠的最佳攻虫剂量为10⁵个虫体;感染犬新孢子虫孕鼠先后出现精神不振、共济失调等临床症状,并有不同程度死亡;病理学观察模型小鼠脑、肝脏、脾脏等脏器组织出现充血、出血、肿大等病理变化;在模型小鼠脑、肝脏、脾脏等脏器组织及胎盘中检测到犬新孢子虫Nc5基因;随攻虫天数的增加,模型小鼠胎盘重量和胎鼠重量均不断增加,胎盘系数逐步降低,在第12、14、16天时,模型组与对照组相比,胎盘重量和胎盘系数均差异显著（P < 0.05）。本试验成功建立了牛源犬新孢子虫孕鼠感染模型,为犬新孢子虫致病机制研究奠定了基础。     

新孢子虫SAG1-SRS2融合基因真核表达质粒的构建及表达

根据犬新孢子虫NcSAG1-NcSRS2融合基因序列,设计了1对含有Kozak序列、终止密码子、BamHⅠ和XhoⅠ酶切位点的引物,以含有NcSAG1-NcSRS2融合基因的质粒pGEX-tNcP43-P36为模板,经PCR扩增获得NcSAG1-NcSRS2融合基因片段,用BamHⅠ和XhoⅠ双酶切该片段,回收得到含有以上2个酶切位点黏端的NcSAG1-NcSRS2融合基因,将此基因片段克隆至相同酶切回收后的pcDNA3.1（＋）真核表达载体中,获得重组质粒pcNCSAG1-SRS2。经PCR鉴定、限制性内切酶酶切分析和克隆片段序列测定、比较,证实了重组质粒的正确性。将构建好的真核表达质粒转染到COS-7细胞中进行瞬时表达,经免疫荧光检测,证实了该载体能在细胞内进行蛋白表达。     

动物源性食品中弓形虫Nested PCR-RFLP分子检测技术的建立

目的为了建立一种快速、特异、灵敏检测动物源性食品中弓形虫的技术。方法根据原虫rDNA的部分序列,找出弓形虫和新孢子虫共同保守DNA片段,设计套式PCR两对引物,以UltraPureTM基因组DNA快速提取试剂盒提取弓形虫和新孢子虫DNA为模板,初步建立了检测两种虫体的Nested PCR技术。将纯化的Nested PCR产物成功地克隆到pGEM-T-easy载体中,经鉴定、测序并进行同源性分析。结果Nested-PCR的外、内引物对两种虫体rDNA基因均能进行扩增,长度分别在800~900 bp、400~500 bp之间。内引物扩增DNA序列与公布的同种虫体DNA序列同源性较高,弓形虫和新孢子虫分别达99.1%、97.2%,但它们两者之间差异较大,同源性仅为86.6%。用软件寻找能区别两者基因序列差异的酶切位点,挑选内切酶进行RFLP实验,结果表明新孢子虫NestedPCR扩增片段能被Vsp1酶切。同时进行该分子检测技术的特异性和敏感性试验,实验证明该Nested PCR能对弓形虫和新孢子虫rDNA基因进行特异性的扩增,而对其它原虫基因未能扩增出任何片段;该Nested-PCR能检测出100个弓形虫速殖子/g猪肉。结论本实验建立Nested PCR检测方法不仅可用于检测动物性食品中弓形虫,而且能明确区分弓形虫和新孢子虫。     

新孢子虫NcSRS2基因的亚克隆和表达

本研究根据NcSRS2基因序列设计合成一对引物,将上、下游引物分别引入EcoRI,XhoI酶切位点,用PCR技术从pGEX-NcSRS2重组质粒扩增截去N端疏水氨基酸序列NcSRS2的基因片段（以下称dNcSRS2）,插入到pGEX-6p-1质粒的多克隆位点,转化大肠杆菌BL21感受态细胞,于氨苄阳性LB培养平板上筛选阳性克隆,酶切及PCR鉴定;经IPTG诱导在E.coli中表达,用SDS-PAGE和免疫印迹分析表达产物并纯化.结果表明,新孢子虫dNcSRS2基因体外扩增产物与预期值相符,约1041bp;所构建pGEX-dNcSRS2重组质粒经双酶切与PCR鉴定,与预期结果一致;SDS-PAGE和免疫印迹显示,表达融合蛋白的分子量约为62.6 kD,表达效率为32.3%,该蛋白具有特异的免疫反应性,为新孢子虫病诊断试剂盒的研制和疫苗的研制奠定了基础.