Identification of an H1N1 subtype of swine influenza virus and serological analysis

To investigate the epizootic of swine influenza virus(SIV), 60 nasal swabs were collected from a clinical cases of pig farm in Tai'an City, Shandong Province of China in April 2017. SIV was isolated by inoculating into 10-day-old Special Pathogen Free embryonated eggs and the whole genome was sequenced. An H1N1 subtype SIV was isolated and designated as A/swine/Shandong/TA04/2017(H1N1). Phylogenetic analysis showed that apart from the polymerase A(PA) fragment belonging to the 2009 pandemic H1N1 branch, seven genome segments belonged to avian-like H1N1 influenza virus lineage. The cleavage site sequence of the hemagglutinin(HA) protein was PSIQSR↓G, which is a typical molecular biological characteristic. Five potential N-glycosylation sites(N14, N26, N277, N484 and N543) were found in the HA gene. To further investigate the epidemiology of SIV in this farm, the 995 serum samples were assessed with EAH1N1 2009 pandemic H1N1 and H3 N2 antigens. The results showed that the total positive rate was 65.43%. The positive rates of single virus infection detected by EAH1N1, 2009 pdmH1N1 and H3 N2 for serum HI(Hemagglutination inhibition) were 48.35, 30.85 and 7.47%, respectively. The results showed that SIV in Shandong Province has been reassorted in some segments and the SIV-positive rate was high on the SIV outbreak farm. These data provide evidence of an epizootic of SIV.     

3株鸽源新城疫病毒的分子特征及对鸽的致病性

2011―2013年在新城疫流行病学调查中分离到3株鸽源新城疫病毒(SDS,SD01和SD02),为了进一步了解其生物学特性和遗传进化规律,对3株病毒进行了测序和生物活性分析,并对分离株SDS对鸽的致病性进行了评价。结果表明,毒株SDS基因组全长为15192 bp,基因排列方式为3′-NP-P-M-F-HN-L-5′,3个分离株F蛋白裂解位点氨基酸序列均为¹¹²RRQKRF¹¹⁷,具有典型的新城疫强毒的分子特征。系统进化分析表明这3个毒株与基因Ⅵ型NDV毒株聚于一簇,属于ClassⅡ系Ⅵb基因型。3个分离株F蛋白的融合肽和七肽重复区,HN蛋白的抗原中和表位存在多处突变,与单克隆抗体1E5、2F10的反应性也发生改变,表明3个分离株与疫苗株LaSota有明显的抗原差异。SDS攻毒试验结果显示,试验鸽自攻毒后5 d出现明显的临床症状,滴鼻组和肌肉注射组的死亡率分别为60%和70%;病死鸽剖检可见脑膜充血出血,腺胃乳头、腺胃肌胃交界及肠道出血,肝脏肿大,脾有淤血斑。滴鼻组在攻毒后5~14 d于喉头和泄殖腔检出排毒,而肌肉注射组在攻毒后3~14 d于喉头和泄殖腔有排毒。     

牛星状病毒EvaGreen实时荧光定量PCR检测方法的建立及应用

牛星状病毒(BAstV)是我国新发的犊牛腹泻病原,本试验的目的是建立检测BAstV的Real-time PCR方法。根据BAstV流行株的ORF1a基因序列设计引物,通过优化反应条件和体系,成功建立基于EvaGreen检测BAstV的Real-time PCR方法。结果表明,该检测方法的Ct值与标准品模板在1.36×10¹~1.36×10⁸拷贝/μL线性关系良好,相关系数R²=0.999,扩增效率为93.79%;该方法可特异性检出BAstV,对犊牛腹泻其他相关病原呈阴性;最低检测下限为13.6拷贝/μL;批间和批内的变异系数均小于2%,重复性好。对2017年9月至2019年5月采自河南省的221份犊牛腹泻样本进行检测,BAstV的检出率为18.1%(40/221),采样场阳性率为100.0%(14/14)。本试验所建方法灵敏度高、特异性强、稳定性好,为BAstV的检测和流行病学调查提供了有力手段。     

神经介素B及其受体NMBR参与抗A型流感病毒H1N1亚型感染的信号通路

NMB/NMBR通过调节A型流感病毒（IAV/H1N1/PR8）感染诱导的细胞因子表达而参与抗IAV的先天性免疫反应。为探究其发挥抗IAV/H1N1感染的信号通路，本文用PR8和WSN毒株分别感染MLE-12细胞和小鼠，用NF-κB抑制剂BAY11-7028单独或联合NMB处理MLE-12细胞，小鼠后腿肌内注射NMB和NMBRA，采用RT-PCR和qRT-PCR分析NMB、NMBR、IL-6、IFN-α和NP基因表达变化，采用Western blot分析NMB、NMBR、P65/p-P65、IκBα和NP蛋白表达的变化。结果显示，BAY11-7028可促使PR8和WSN感染的MLE-12细胞中NMB、NMBR、IL-6和IFN-α基因表达水平均下降和NP基因表达水平上升，并降低NMB、NMBR和p-P65蛋白表达水平和提升IκBα和NP蛋白表达水平。然而，NMB联合BAY 11-7028诱导PR8或WSN感染后的细胞中IL-6和NP表达出现极显著下降和IFN-α显著上升。此外，NMB抑制PR8和WSN感染的小鼠肺组织内p-P65和NP蛋白表达水平和促进IκBα蛋白表达水平；NMBRA联合NMB抵消NMB对PR8或WSN感染后的这些蛋白表达水平的调节作用。综上表明，NMB/NMBR通过调节PR8和WSN感染的MLE-12细胞和小鼠体内的NF-κB信号通路上P65蛋白磷酸化和IκBα的表达，进而影响下游细胞因子IL-6和IFN-α基因的表达，从而发挥抗IAV/H1N1感染的先天性免疫应答反应。     

利用CRISPR/Cas9技术编辑BADH2-1/BADH2-2创制香米味道玉米新种质

【目的】香味是作物的重要食味品质之一。2-乙酰-1-吡咯啉（2-acetyl-1-pyrroline,2-AP）是主要香味物。BADH2是控制水稻等作物香味性状的关键基因,敲除该基因可以产生香味稻米。利用CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑技术在北京市农林科学院自育的玉米骨干亲本京724上敲除BADH2同源基因,以期获得有香米味道的玉米新种质材料。【方法】利用Ensembl数据库在线BLAST工具,将水稻OsBADH2蛋白序列在拟南芥、水稻和玉米蛋白序列数据库中进行序列比对,获得上述3个物种的BADH基因家族成员,并利用UniProt蛋白数据库中的结构域信息进行验证。进一步使用MEGA软件进行系统进化分析,获得玉米BADH2同源基因作为候选编辑靶标。基于CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑技术的原理,在候选基因的外显子处设计特异性靶点,并构建入CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑载体。再以玉米自交系京724为受体,利用农杆菌介导的遗传转化方法,通过磷酸甘露糖异构酶基因（phosphomannose isomerase,PMI）抗性筛选获得阳性转基因植株。转基因株系经测序明确其在靶基因中产生的突变类型。利用气相色谱质谱联用仪（gas chromatography-mass spectrometry,GC-MS）检测基因编辑株系T₁籽粒中香米主要香味物质2-AP的含量,以确认京724在基因编辑前后2-AP含量的变化。【结果】系统进化分析发现,玉米中存在2个BADH2同源基因,分别命名为ZmBADH2-1和ZmBADH2-2。ZmBADH2-1位于第4染色体,ZmBADH2-2位于第1染色体。2个基因均包含15个外显子和14个内含子,第4外显子间的核苷酸序列高度同源。在2个基因的第4外显子区域设计靶点并构建入CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑载体,通过遗传转化获得28株转基因株系。PCR扩增及测序分析结果显示,其中10株材料的2个ZmBADH2s在靶点区域均发生突变,突变基因型包括双等位突变和多等位突变,突变类型为不同数量的碱基缺失和插入。质谱检测结果显示玉米ZmBADH2双基因突变体籽粒中存在与香稻同样成分的2-AP。随机选取的4个T₁代基因编辑株系籽粒中,2-AP平均含量分别为438.29、404.63、348.65和161.82 μg·kg^-1,而未经过编辑的京724中未检测到2-AP。【结论】利用CRISPR/Cas9技术对玉米ZmBADH2-1和ZmBADH2-2同时进行定点敲除,创制出籽粒中具有香米味道的玉米骨干亲本新种质材料。     

水牛SND1基因克隆及生物信息学分析

试验旨在利用电子克隆法对水牛SND1（staphylococcal nuclease and tudor domain containing 1）基因进行克隆和序列分析，为探究该基因对水牛泌乳性能的作用机制奠定基础。以奶牛SND1基因（GenBank登录号：NM_205784.1）作为种子序列，利用Primer Premier 5.0设计3对引物，以水牛基因组DNA为模板，PCR扩增水牛SND1基因mRNA序列，扩增获得序列连接pMD18-T载体，通过测序拼接获得水牛SND1基因mRNA全序列，并对其进行生物信息学分析。结果显示，水牛SND1基因完整编码序列长为3 503 bp，包含长为2 733 bp CDS序列，编码910个氨基酸，蛋白分子式为C₄₅₂₃H₇₁₈₃N₁₂₈₁O₁₃₅₄S₂₆，分子质量为102.01 ku，理论等电点（pI）为6.74，不稳定系数为42.07，平均亲水性为-0.419，属可溶酸性蛋白。二级结构以α-螺旋和无规则卷曲为主，其中α-螺旋占37.80%，无规则卷曲占34.18%。结合Protfun 2.2在线软件对SND1的功能进行预测分析表明，该蛋白在嘌呤和嘧啶、中央中间代谢、能量代谢、氨基酸生物合成发挥功能的可能性分别为0.449、0.401、0.303和0.262。SND1基因编码区序列与黄牛、绵羊、山羊、猪、马、人的同源性分别为98.7%、97.8%、97.8%、93.8%、93.1%和91.7%，物种之间同源性较高，系统进化情况与其亲缘关系远近一致。利用SMART在线软件预测蛋白结构域，结果显示，水牛SND1蛋白包含有4个SN区域，说明SND1基因编码区在进化过程中较为保守。     

马疱疹病毒1型主要毒力基因分析及TK基因缺失载体的构建

为了解新疆马疱疹病毒1型（EHV-1）主要毒力基因遗传进化情况并构建TK基因缺失株，本研究以EHV-1 XJ2015株DNA为模板，对其主要毒力基因TK、gI和gE全长进行克隆、测序及生物信息学分析，并扩增TK基因左右重组臂TKL和TKR，构建质粒pUC-TKLR，将扩增后的增强绿色荧光蛋白（EGFP，含有CMV+polyA）插入pUC-TKLR质粒，构建TK基因缺失打靶质粒。TK、gI和gE基因同源性分析结果显示，XJ2015株与国外EHV-1分离株TK、gI和gE基因同源性均较高，分别为99.8%~100.0%、99.6%~100.0%和99.9%~100.0%；与EHV-3分离株同源性均最低，分别为72.9%、59.4%和62.1%；遗传进化分析显示，3个基因均与国外EHV-1同属于一个遗传进化分支，与EHV-9和EHV-4进化关系较近，但与EHV-3进化关系较远，表明XJ2015毒株与国外EHV-1毒株TK、gI、gE基因核苷酸上差异不明显，没有明显的地域性特征，功能基因保守且进化缓慢，同源基因功能相同或相近；经PCR扩增、酶切、测序及转染鉴定，本试验成功构建了用于TK基因缺失的打靶质粒pUC-TKLR-EGFP。通过对EHV-1主要毒力基因的分析及TK基因缺失打靶载体的构建，为新疆地区马鼻肺炎流行病学调查分析、TK基因缺失株的构建提供理论依据。     

Effect of endothelin-1 on inflammation and oxidative stress in COPD

AIM:To investigate the effect of endothelin-1 on inflammation and oxidative stress in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS:Healthy non-smokers (30 cases), healthy smokers (30 cases) and COPD patients (29 cases) were collected and induced to produce sputum. The concentration of endothelin-1 in the induced sputum was detected. The model of emphysema was established by cigarette smoke extract to stimulate SD rats. Endothelin A receptor antagonist BQ123 and non-selective endothelin receptor antagonist bosentan were used to intervene with the model rats. The experiment was divided into control group, cigarette-treated group, selective antagonist group and non-selective antagonist group. The protein levels of cleaved caspase-3 in the lung tissue were determined by Western blot. Gelatin zymography was used to analyze the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 in the lung tissue. The levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured by ELISA. The bioantioxidant power (BAP) was detected by BAP assay kit. RESULTS:The concentrations of endothelin-1 in induced sputum of healthy smokers and COPD patients were significantly higher than that of healthy non-smokers (P<0.05), and the level of endothelin-1 in COPD patients was significantly higher than that in healthy smokers (P<0.05). The levels of cleaved caspase-3, MMP-2, MMP-9, TNF-α and IL-1β in the lung tissues from cigarette-treated group were significantly higher than those in control group (P<0.05). The endothelin A receptor antagonist significantly inhibited the levels of cleaved caspase-3, MMP-2, MMP-9, TNF-α and IL-1β (P<0.05). The serum BAP in cigarette-treated group was significantly lower than that in control group (P<0.05). However, endothelin A receptor antagonist significantly increased serum BAP (P<0.05). CONCLUSION:Endothelin-1 may play an important role in the development and progression of COPD through regulating apoptosis, matrix metalloproteinase activity, inflammation and oxidative stress.     

Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 as a potential biological control agent for carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Australia: susceptibility of non‐target species

Carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) is a pest species in Australian waterways, and cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV‐3) is being considered as a potential biological control (biocontrol) agent. An important consideration for any such agent is its target specificity. In this study, the susceptibility to CyHV‐3 of a range of non‐target species (NTS) was tested. The NTS were as follows: 13 native Australian, and one introduced, fish species; a lamprey species; a crustacean; two native amphibian species (tadpole and mature stages); two native reptilian species; chickens; and laboratory mice. Animals were exposed to 100–1000 times the approximate minimum amount of CyHV‐3 required to cause disease in carp by intraperitoneal and/or bath challenge, and then examined clinically each day over the course of 28 days post‐challenge. There were no clinical signs, mortalities or histological evidence consistent with a viral infection in a wide taxonomic range of NTS. Furthermore, there was no molecular evidence of infection with CyHV‐3, and, in particular, all RT‐PCRs for viral mRNA were negative. As a consequence, the results encourage further investigation of CyHV‐3 as a potential biocontrol agent that is specific for carp.     

Cellular activity and development of enteric,hepatic and muscle tissues of juvenile pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus (Holmberg 1887) fed with lyophilized bovine colostrum

Bovine colostrum, an alternative food of animal origin provided as partial protein source, may constitute an innovative ingredient in fish feeding. Serum insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1) and cellular activity of enteric, hepatic and muscle tissues of juvenile pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus fed with lyophilized bovine colostrum (LBC) were evaluated. Pacu (8.46 ± 0.74 g; 7.75 ± 0.27 cm, n = 18 in triplicate) were stocked into 18 tanks (300 L; 18 fish per tank, in triplicate) and fed with control diet containing 0% of LBC or experimental diet containing 10% and 20% of LBC inclusion for either 30 or 60 days of experiment. IGF‐1 serum concentration was not affected (P > 0.05) by the diet containing LBC and experimental period. The intestinal and hepatic cellular activity was not influenced by LBC (P > 0.05); however, intestine protein/RNA decreased at 60 days (P < 0.05). The muscle cellular activity was affected by LBC, highest in fish fed with diet containing 10% of LBC (P < 0.05). Between the periods DNA and protein/RNA increased at 60 days, while RNA, protein/DNA and RNA/DNA ratio decreased in this same period (P < 0.05). Increased DNA muscle content indicates fish growth by hyperplasia. The results of the present study is related with suitable development of enteric, hepatic and muscle tissues and proper condition of juvenile pacu fed with LBC considering the absence of differences in relation to juveniles that consumed diet without colostrum.